BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 

o 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


.Overland  Diaries  of  the  Eighteen  Fifties. 


—no  ,  \ 

HENRY    CLAY    DEAN  303 

In  1868  he  labored  earnestly  to  prevent  the  nomination  of 
Salmon  P.  Chase  for  the  Presidency  by  the  Democratic  Na 
tional  Convention,  and  in  the  delivering  of  his  speech  against 
Chase  ruined  a  rosewood  table  upon  which  he  stood.  The  next 
day  his  attention  was  called  to  the  ruin  he  had  wrought,  and 
he  replied  that  the  table  was  worth  less  than  the  Democratic 
party,  which,  he  believed,  he  had  saved  by  preventing  the 
nomination  of  Mr.  Chase.  He  was  intensely  patriotic.  He 
loved  his  country  and  its  institutions.  He  boasted  of  the  lib 
erty  it  guaranteed  to  the  citizen.  He  advocated  only  such 
measures  and  such  policy  as  he  deemed  in  harmony  with  public 
weal  and  as  would  assure  the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest 
number.  He  was  an  unfaltering  friend  to  the  people  and 
believed  that  upon  an  intelligent  and  educated  citizenship  de 
pended  the  stability  of  free  institutions.  In  defense  of  what 
he  deemed  right,  and  in  the  interest  of  the  great  underlying 
principles  of  free  government  he  was  courageous,  eloquent  and 
unanswerable.  No  political  antagonist  ever  dared  to  engage 
him  in  joint  discussion  of  current  political  issues.  On  the 
rostrum  he  was  the  equal  of  any  man  in  his  day.  He  had 
complete  control  of  "his  audience  and  could  convulse  it  with 
mirth,  melt  it  to  tenderness,  or  arouse  it  to  the  highest  in 
dignation.  He  was  a  unique  character  even  where  originality 
predominated.  He  would  have  been  classed  as  a  genius  in 
any  age  of  the  world  or  in  any  condition  of  society.  He  was 
the  peer  of  statesmen,  a  friend  of  the  masses,  the  great  com 
moner  of  his  day. 

Dean  never  forgot  a  friend  and  never  neglected  an  oppor 
tunity  to  repay  a  kindness.  He  bore  no  enmity  toward  man. 
Even  toward  those  whose  acts  or  politics  he  assailed  with  the 
most  violent  invective,  he  at  the  same  time  breathed  a  spirit 
of  kindness.  Toward  a  trusted  friend,  who  was  his  ideal 
of  a  gentleman,  his  devotion  was  pathetic  and  unswerving.  To 
his  neighbors  and  friends  he  kept  open  house  and  his  hos 
pitality  was  unbounded. 

He  left  Mount  Pleasant  in  1871  and  located  on  an  800-acre 
farm  in  Putnam  county,  Missouri,  and  named  his  home 


304  ANNALS  OF   IOWA 

"Rebels  Cove."  Here / he  died  February  6,  1887,  leaving  a 
devoted  family  consisting  of  a  wife  and  seven  children. 

Henry  Clay  Dean,  eminent  divine,  statesman,  philosopher, 
and  a  leader  of  men,  is  dead.  The  highest  meed  of  praise 
that  could  be  tendered  him  is  that  "the  world  is  better  from 
his  having  lived  in  it. ' ' 

Sedalia,  Missouri. 


JOURNAL  OF  THE  OREGON  TRAIL. 


In  the  spring  of  1852  there  was  organized  among  the 
citizens  of  Cedar  township,  Van  Buren  county,  Iowa,  an 
emigrant  train  of  about  twenty-five  wagons.  Each  wagon  was 
drawn  by  from  three  to  five  yoke  of  oxen.  In  the  company 
were,  Paul  Brattain  and  family  of  seven  adult  persons; 
William  Newman;  Lafayette  Spencer;  Charles  Spencer  and 
wife  and  two  children;  Henry  Newman;  George  Gimple; 
Michael  Smith  and  his  wife,  two  sons  and  a  daughter ;  George 
Hammonds;  Henry  Hammonds;  Jacob  Whetstone  and 
family ;  George  Taylor  and  family ;  Robert  Carter  and  family ; 
Adam  Barnes  and  family;  Oliver  Mitchell  and  family;  John 
Hilary  and  family;  Napoleon  Baker;  William  Howard  and 
family;  Charles  Adams  and  family;  Thomas  Clark  and 
family;  Thomas  Whetstone  and  family;  Nicholas  Boley  and 
family;  John  Boley  and  family;  James  Watson  and  family; 
Hill  Watson  and  family;  Iradel  Anderson;  Mathies  Ander 
son;  George,  James  and  William  Ebert;  Henry  and  Sloan 
Keck. 

Paul  Brattain  was  best  known  to  the  Iowa  public  of  any 
in  this  train.  He  had  served  in  different  official  capacities, 
the  most  important  being  as  Treasurer  of  the  Des  Moines 
River  Improvement  Board  of  Public  Works. 

To  assist  his  brother,  William,  who  expected  to  follow  in 
1853,  Lafayette  Spencer  kept  a  diary  of  his  trip  to  Oregon, 
which  he  transmitted  with  a  letter  after  the  journey  ended. 
This  letter  and  the  diary  in  the  quaint  diction  and  orthog 
raphy  of  the  writer  are  herewith  presented  with  no  more  than 
necessary  alterations.  E.  R.  H. 


JOURNAL  OF  THE   OREGON   TRAIL  305 

December  27,  1852. 
Dear  Brother: 

I  now  embrace  the  present  opportunity  of  writing  a  few  lines  to 
let  you  know  that  I  am  well  at  the  present  time,  hoping  that  these 
few  lines  will  find  you  all  well.  I  have  not  much  to  write  about  at 
the  present  time.  I  have  traveled  a  good  deal  in  Oregon.  We  started 
from  John  Newman's  near  Oregon  City  the  eighth  day  of  November 
for  the  Eogue  Eiver  gold  mines.  We  traveled  some  two  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  to  south  Umpequa  river.  It  rained  so  much  that  the  roads 
got  so  bad  that  we  could  not  travel  with  our  wagons.  We  stopped 
on  Cow  creek  to  wait  for  the  waters  to  run  down  and  prospect  for  gold, 
but  could  not  make  it  pay  very  well.  *  *  We  lacked  some  seventy 

miles  of  getting  to  Eogue  river  but  it  commenced  snowing  and  snowed 
for  fifteen  or  sixteen  days  in  succession.  The  snow  is  over  two  feet 
deep  and  still  snowing.  I  do  not  know  what  will  become  of  our  stock 
for  the  people  have  no  feed  to  give  them.  The  pack  mules  are  be 
ginning  to  die  now  of  hunger.  *  *  *  I  will  stay  here  until  the 
winter  breaks  up,  then  I  will  go  to  Eogue  river.  *  *  *  I  have 
traveled  all  through  the  Willamette  Valley.  It  is  about  20  miles  wide 
and  is  cut  up  with  hills  and  mountains.  All  the  land  that  is  worth 
anything  is  cleaned  up.  The  Umpequah  Valley  is  not  as  good  as  the 
Willamette  Valley,  nor  half  as  big.  All  of  the  best  of  the  claims  are 
taken  up.  I  shall  advise  you  to  Stay  where  you  are,  but  if  you  want  to 
come  you  must  start  by  the  first  of  April  with  six  or  seven  yoke  of 
oxen  to  the  wagon  and  as  much  as  one  or  two  hundred  dollars  in  cash. 
You  will  find  it  a  long,  tedious  journey  to  travel.  I  send  you  my 
journal  that  I  kept  on  the  road  through  to  Oregon.  Mr.  Newman  is 
gone  on  to  Eogue  river.  I  am  staying  here  in  Umpequa  with  the 
team  and  provisions  until  I  get  word  from  him  what  to  do.  I  live 
fat  and  saucy.  Direct  letters  to  Kanyanville,  Douglass  county,  Oregon. 
WILLIAM  SPENCER.  LAFAYETTE  SPENCER. 


LAFAYETTE    SPENCER    DAY    BOOK. 

M»\y   llth.   1852.     Started  from  14th     Camp    on    Colt    Creek    2 

home     Pass    through    Birmingham  miles    west    of    Albia    the    county 

smd  camp  on  the  East  fork  of  Lick  seat  of  Monroe  county. 

Creek.  15th     Camp  on  the  14  miles  Be- 

12th     Pass  through  Libertyville  tween   Albia   and   Charidon   Point 

and    Ashland    and    camp    at    The  in  Lucas  County. 

Agency.  16th     Camp   on   Grave  Creek   4 

13th     Pass    through    Autumwa.  miles  west  of  Charidon  Point. 

Cross  the  Des  Moines  Eiver  and  17th    Camp  on  Camp  Creek  in, 

camp  8  miles  west  of  Autumwa.  Clark  County. 
20 


306 


ANNALS  OF   IOWA 


18th  Camp  on  seven  mile  Creek 
in  Union  County 

19th  Camp  on  Twelve  Mile 
Creek  Cross  Grand  Kiver  at  Pisga 
the  old  Mormon  Town. 

20th  Camp  on  Nodawa  Creek 
in  Adair  County. 

21st  Camp  in  a  grove  one  mile 
west  of  the  Eoad. 

22nd  Camp  on  a  ereek  six  miles 
East  of  Indians  town. 

23rd  Camp  near  Neshynabot- 
tany. 

24th  Camp  on  Silver  Creek  in 
Potawatimy  County. 

25th  Camp  at  Council  Bluffs  2 
miles  Below  Kanesville  on  the 
Missouri. 

26th     Lay  by. 

27th    Lay  by. 

28th  Camp  on  Missouri  Kiver 
10  miles  above  Kanesville  at  the 
upper  ferry. 

29th    Lay  by. 

30th  Cross  the  Missouri  Eiver 
in  the  night  and  Camp  on  the 
west  Bank. 

31st  Travel  18  miles  Camp  on 
Pappea  Creek  Good  grass. 

June  1st  Travel  10  miles  Cross 
the  Elk  Horn  Eiver  and  Camp  on 
Bridge  Creek  Good  grass 

2nd     Travel  15  miles     Camp  on 
a  Lake  to  the  Left  of  the  Eoad 
Good  grass. 

3rd  Travel  20  miles  Camp  on 
Shell  Creek  Good  grass. 

4th  Travel  24  miles  Camp  on 
Loup  Fork  near  the  Ferry  Good 
grass. 

5th  Lay  by.  Nancy  Spencer 
taken  Sick. 

6th  Travel  4  miles  Cross  the 
Loup  Fork  and  camp  on  the 
Plain  es 


7th  Travel  18  miles  and  Camp 
on  Loup  Fork  Good  grass 

8th  Lay  by  for  Mr.  Smith  to 
get  up  with  us 

9th  Travel  22  miles  and  Camp 
west  of  the  Cold  Spring  Good 
grass 

10th  Travel  16  miles  and 
Camp  near  Prairie  Creek  Nancy 
Spencer  died  at  9  o'clock  P.  M. 
and  Burried  at  8  o'clock  A.  M. 
the  next  morning 

llth  Travel  16  miles  and  Camp 
on  Wood  Creek 

12th  Travel  15  miles  and  Camp 
on  the  Plat  Eiver  Good  grass 

13th  Travel  24  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  river  opposite  Fort  Kenney. 

14th  Travel  16  miles  Camp 
on  Buffalo  Creek  grass  fair 

15th  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  near  willow  Lake  grass 
fair 

*16th  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  Good  grass 

17th     Travel  15  miles     Camp  on 
the  Plat  Elver  near  Skunk  Creek 
Good  Grass 

18th  Travel  7  miles  Camp  on 
a  small  Creek  Eobert  Carter  Died 
with  colrhea 

19th  Travel  18  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  no  more  Timber  for 
two  hundred  miles 

20th  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  Good  grass 

21st  Travel  20  miles  Camp  on 
Wolf  Creek  and  Spring 

22nd  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
Rattle  Snake  Creek 

23rd     Travel  8  miles     Camp  on 
Plat    River    near    Cedar    Bluff 
Good  grass 


JOURNAL  OF  THE  OREGON  TRAIL 


307 


24th     Travel     22     miles     Camp 
near   Castle    Creek     Good   grass 
their  is  a  postoffice  kept  their    I 
wrote  back 

25th  Travel  20  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Kiver  Good  grass 

26th  Travel  18  miles  Camp 
near  Ancient  Bluff  Good  grass 

27th  Lay  by  on  the  account  of 
sickness 

28th  Travel  16  miles  Camp 
near  Chimney  Eoek  Good  grass 

29th  Travel  18  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  near  Scott  Bluff  Good 
grass 

30th  Travel  25  miles  Camp  at 
Blue  Stone  Cliff  on  Plat  Eiver 

July  1st       Travel     25     miles 
Camp   on   Plat   Eiver   seven   miles 
East  of  Fort  Laramie 

2nd  Travel  15  miles  Pass  Ft 
Laramie  and  Camp  on  Plat  Eiver 
near  the  United  States  farm 

3rd     Lay     by     Grass     scarse 
their  I  wrote  Back  again 

4th  Travel  16  miles  through 
the  Black  Hill  road  verry  Eough 
Camp  on  Plat  Eiver  Grass  scearse 

5th  Travel  14  miles  Camp  on 
a  small  Creek  in  the  Black  hills 

6th  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
Platt  Eiver  Grass  scearse 

7th  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  river  grass  scearse 

8th  Travel  15  miles  Over  verry 
rough  and  hilly  Camp  on  Plat 
Eiver  Grass  scearse 

9th  Travel  12  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  one  mile  South  of  the 
road 

10th  Travel  12  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  grass  scearse 

llth  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  near  the  uper  ferry 


12th  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  grass  scearse 

13th  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
Plat  Eiver  for  the  Last  time  We 
have  travel  on  it  for  seven  Hun 
dred  miles 

14th  Lay  By  and  Hunted  Buf 
falo  and  killed  four 

15th  Travel  18  miles  Camp  at 
the  Willow  Spring  No  grass 

16th  Travel  16  miles  Camp 
near  Alkali  Lake  grass  scearse 

17th  Travel  18  miles  Pass  the 
Independence  Eock  a  rock  which 
raises  right  up  out  of  the  ground 
in  a  smooth  Bottom  of  Sweet 
Water  it  is  125  rod  long  and 
120  feet  high  We  pass  the  Devil 
Gate  through  which  Sweet  water 
Passes  It  is  400  feet  hie  on  Both 
sides  of  Perpendekler  Camp  on 
Sweet  Water 

18th  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
Sweet  Water  near  Bitter  Cotton 
wood  Creek 

19th  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
Sweet  Water  grass  scearse 

20th  Travel  18  miles  Camp  on 
Sweet  Water  grass  scearse 

21st   Travel  17  miles  over  Eough 
and  Eockey  Eoads  and   Camp   on 
a  small  Branch     grass  scearse 
no  timber  on  Sweet  Water 

22nd  Travel  12  miles  and  camp 
at  the  last  crossing  of  Sweet  Water 
grass  scearse 

23rd  Travel  8  miles  Camp 
three  miles  to  the  right  of  the 
Eoad  on  Sweet  Water 

24th  Travel  30  miles  Pass  the 
South  Pass  of  the  Eocky  Moun 
tains  and  Persippee  Spring  Camp 
on  Little  Sandy  three  miles  north 
of  the  road 


308 


ANNALS  OF   IOWA 


25th    Lay  by  to  rest  our  cattle 

26th  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
Big  Sandy  grass  seearse 

27th  Travel  10  miles  off  the 
road  to  get  grass  to  Cross  the 
Deasert  forty-two  miles  across 
without  water  or  grass 

28th     Started     in     the     Desert 

travel 

29th     all  night  and  next  day  t 
ten  o'clock  and  cross  Green  river 
grass  seearse 

30th  Travel  13  miles  Camp  on 
tranche  of  Green  river  among  the 
Snake  Indians  grass  good 

31st  Travel  18  miles  Cross  a 
verry  hie  and  Bough  mountain  and 
Camp  in  the  valley  grass  seearse 
August  1st,  1852  Travel  12 
miles  Cross  a  mountain  and  camp 
on  Ham  Fork  of  Green  river 
grass  scearse 

2nd  Travel  24  miles  over  very 
hie  and  rough  mountain  Camp  in 
Bear  Eiver  Valley  good  grass 

3rd  Travel  4  miles  and  camp  on 
Bear  river  good  grass 

4th  Travel  25  miles  Cross 
Smith  and  Thomas  fork  of  Bear 
river  Camp  on  Bear  river 

5th  Travel  18  miles  Camp  on 
Bear  river  grass  scearse 

6th  Travel  6  miles  Camp  on 
Bear  Eiver  good  grass 

7th  Travel  18  miles  Pass  Beer 
and  Soda  and  Steam  Boat  Springs 
Camp  at  the  Junction  of  the  Cali- 
forna  and  Oregon  Boad 

8th  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
a  small  Creek  Good  grass 

9th  Travel  17  miles  Camp  on 
a  small  Branch  of  the  Port  Neuf 
Biver  good  grass 

10th  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
Port  Neuf  Creek 


llth  Travel  15  miles  Passed 
Ft  Hall  I  wrote  Back  Camp 
on  Port  Neuf  Biver  good  grass 

12th  Travel  12  miles  Camp 
on  Snake  river  good  grass 

13th  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
Bock  Creek  grass  scearse 

14th    Travel  15  miles    Camp  on 
Baft  Biver     good  grass 
15th    Lay  By 

16th  Travel  18  miles  Camp  at 
Bull  Bush  Spring 

17th  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
Goose  Creek  grass  scearse 

18th  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
Snake  Biver  Swam  our  cattle 
across 

19th  Lay  By  Could  not  get 
our  Cattle  Back 

20th  Lay  By  Still  could  not 
get  them  over  to  the  wagons 

21st  Lay  By  the  only  way  we 
could  get  our  Cattle  Back  was  to 
drive  them  three  or  four  miles  up 
the  Biver  to  the  falls  where  the 
water  was  so  swift  when  you  got 
them  into  it  the  water  wash  them 
down  over  the  falls  on  the  other 
Side  the  Biver  was  three  quarters 
of  a  mile  wide 

22nd  Travel  18  miles  Camp  on 
dry  Creek  four  miles  off  the  road 
to  water  and  grass 

23rd  Travel  25  miles  Camp  on 
Bock  Creek  grass  scearse 

24th  Travel  16  miles  and  camp 
near  Snake  Biver  on  the  Plains 
without  water  or  grass 

25th  Travel  17  miles  Camp  on 
Bannac  Creek  no  grass  Our  Cat 
tle  nearly  all  give  out  for  some 
thing  to  eat 

26th  Travel  5  miles  Crossed 
Snake  Biver  on  wagon  Beds  and 
swam  our  cattle  over  Camp  on 
the  Bank  good  grass 


JOURNAL  OF  THE  OREGON  TRAIL 


309 


27th  Travel  6  miles  Camp  on 
a  small  Creek  good  grass 

28th  Lay  By  to  recruit  our 
cattle 

29th  Travel  20  miles  Camp  on 
a  small  Creek  grass  seearse 

30th  Travel  20  miles  Camp  on 
a  small  Creek  good  grass 

31st  Lay  By  with  Henry  New 
man  who  was  very  sick  with  Liver 
Complaint 

September  1st  1852  Travel  15 
miles  Camp  on  Seven  miles  Creek 

2nd  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
Barren  Creek  use  warm  water 
good  grass 

3rd  Travel  14  miles  Camp  on 
Charlotte  Creek  grass  seearse 

4th  Travel  14  miles  Camp  on 
a  dry  branch  good  grass 

5th  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
white  Horse  Creek  grass  fair 

6th  Travel  10  miles  Camp  at 
a  good  spring  grass  fair 

7th  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
Boies  Eiver  good  grass 

8th  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
Boies  Eiver  good  grass 

9th  Travel  12  miles  Camp  on 
Boies  Eiver  good  grass 

10th    Lay  by 

llth  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
Boies  Eiver  good  grass 

12th  Travel  10  miles  Cross 
Snake  Eiver  at  Fort  Boies  and 
camp  on  Bank 

13th  Lay  By  for  to  hunt  our 
cattle 

14th  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
Malaher  Eiver  grass  scearse 

15th  Lay  By  Michiel  Smith 
very  sick  George  Gimple  was  tak 
en  sick  today  grass  scearse 

16th  Travel  25  miles  Camp  on 
Bench  Creek  grass  searse 


17th  Travel  9  miles  Camp  on 
Burnt  Eiver  grass  searse 

18th  Travel  10  miles  in  the 
afternoon  Michiel  Smith  Died  in 
the  forenoon  Burried  in  one  hour 
after  death 

19th  Travel  16  miles  Eoads 
rough  and  Crooked  Camp  on  a 
branch  of  Burnt  river  grass 
scearse 

20th  Travel  14  miles  Camp  on 
a  branch  of  Burnt  river  grass 
searse 

21st  Travel  10  miles  Cross  a 
mountain  and  camp  on  a  Spring 
branch  grass  scearse 

22nd  Travel  16  miles  Camp  on 
a  slough  of  Powder  Eiver  Cold 
windy  weather  grass  fair 

23rd  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
Powder  Eiver  grass  scearse 

24th    Travel  none  but  lay  by 

25th  Travel  15  miles  Cross 
three  Powder  river  Camp  at  a 
Spring  near  the  mountains 

26th  Travel  10  miles  Cross 
over  a  mountain  Camp  in  Grand 
Eound  Valley  This  valley  is  about 
30  miles  long  and  20  miles  wide 
good  grass 

27th  Travel  8  miles  Cross 
Grand  round  Camp  on  a  small 
Branch  at  the  foot  of  a  verry  hie 
mountain 

28th     Lay  By 

29th  Travel  14  miles  Cross 
some  verry  hie  mountains  and 
camp  on  the  mountain 

30th  Travel  14  miles  amongst 
the  Blue  Mountains  over  some 
verry  hie  ones  it  rained  and 
snowed  which  made  the  mountains 
verry  bad  to  travel  on.  Verry 
heavy  timber  Camp  on  the  mount 
ain  Use  snow  for  water  grass 


310 


ANNALS  OF   IOWA 


October  1st  Travel  14  miles 
Cross  over  some  verry  hie  mount 
ains  which  were  verry  steep  and 
rough  Camp  on  the  mountain 

2nd  Travel  12  miles  Pass  over 
the  Blue  Mountains  Camp  on  the 
Umatilla  Eiver  amongst  the  Kiouse 
Indians  grass  scearse 

3rd  Travel  12  miles  Eoads 
good  Camp  on  the  Umatilla  Eiver 
grass  seearse 

4th  Travel  5  miles  and  Cross 
the  river  and  camp  on  a  hie  Bluff 
grass  scearse 

5th  Travel  15  miles  camp  on 
the  Umatilla  Eiver  grass  scearse 

6th  Travel  8  miles  Cross  the 
Umatilla  Eiver  at  the  Agency 
House  and  took  water  and  wood 
and  camp  on  the  Bluff 

7th  Travel  10  miles  road 
sandy  took  water  and  wood  and 
camp  on  the  Plains  grass  fair 

8th  Travel  14  miles  Eoad 
sandy  Camp  on  the  Plains  with 
out  water  or  wood 

9th  Travel  10  miles  Passed 
two  Springs  took  water  and  camp 
on  the  Plaines  grass  seearse 

10th  Travel  9  miles  road  sandy 
Camp  at  Willow  Creek  grass 
scearse 

llth  Travel  10  miles  took  wa 
ter  and  camp  on  the  Plaines  grass 
scearse 

12th  Travel  15  miles  road  good 
Camp  on  a  smal  creek  grass 
scearse 

13th  Travel  8  miles  Cross 
John  Day  Eiver  ascended  a  verry 
hie  and  rockey  mountain  Camp  on 
the  Plain  grass  fair 


14th  Travel  15  miles  Camp  on 
the  Plains  Charles  Spencer  took 
the  ague  grass  fair 

15th  Travel  10  miles  Camp  on 
the  Columbia  river  grass  fair 

16th  Travel  3  miles  Camp  on 
the  De  Shuts  Eiver  grass  scearse 

17th  Travel  5  miles  Camp  on 
Only  Creek  Eough  Eoads  grass 
scearse 

18th  Travel  5  miles  Camp  on 
five  miles  Creek  grass  scearse 

19th    Lay  By  to  wash 

20th  Travel  5  miles  and  came 
to  the  Dalls  Sold  our  cattle 

21st  Started  Down  the  Colum 
bia  Eiver  in  sciff  The  wind  Blew 
at  night  and  camp  on  the  Bank 

22d  Started  in  the  seiff  again 
and  landed  at  the  Cascades 

23d    Lay  at  tlie  Cascade 

24th    Lay  at  the  same  Place 

25th  Started  Down  to  the 
Steamboat  Landing  we  hired  wag 
on  and  oxen  to  haul  our  Plunder 
down 

26th  Got  on  a  Steam  Boat  and 
Landed  in  Portland  in  the  evening 
the  whole  distence  from  the  Dalls 
to  Portland  is  160  miles 

October  the  27th,  1852  Charles 
remain  very  sick  Died  at  9  o  'clock 
in  the  morning  Burried  in  the 
City  of  Portland  the  Same  Day  at 
five  o'clock  in  the  Evening 

28th    Still  remain  in  Portland 

29th  Started  for  Oregon  City 
at  noon  on  a  Steam  Boat  and 
Landed  in  the  Evening 

Thus  end  my  Journal 

Lafayette  Spencer 


such  thing  can  be  carried  into  execution  for  very  many  reasons, 
and  I  doubt  if  any  such  exists.  I  know  how  suspicious  men  are  apt 
to  be  about  matters  of  this  kind,  and  particularly  in  such  inflam- 
able  times  as  these.  But  I  would  like  to  know  if  the  project  really 
has  an  existence.  Have  you  heard  anything  of  it,  or  seen  or  heard 
anything  that  impressed  you  with  the  idea  that  it  might  be  so? 

*  *     *     Let  me  hear  from  you.    This  in  confidence. 

XVI. 

GEN.     ROBERT    E.     LEE    TO    GEORGE    W.     JONES,    DUBUQUE. 

LEXINGTON,  VA.,   8th  Jan'y,  1869. 

I  have  been  gratified  recently  by  a  visit  from  an  old  friend,  Capt. 
James  May,  now  of  Rock  Island  City.  Among  the  many  pleasing 
reminiscences  of  bygone  times  &  scenes  recalled  by  his  visit  is  the 
recollection  of  you,  extending  back  to  the  time  when  you  were  a 
young  delegate  to  Congress  from  Wisconsin  [Territory],  I  have  a 
distinct  recollection  of  your  appearance,  &  a  pleasing  one  of  our 
intercourse  &  social  meetings  at  General  Gratiot's  hospitable  house. 

*  *     *     I  know  that  you  have  felt  keenly  the  calamities  of  the 
country,  even  amidst  your  own  afflictions,  but  I  did  not  intend  to 
touch  upon  that  subject;  but  merely  to  express  to  you  my  pleasure 
in  hearing  of  you,  &  conversing  of  you  with  one  who  admires  and 
esteems  you,  as  your  friends  always  do.     There  is  another  friend, 
I  hope  I  may  call  him  so,  of  former  years,  of  whom  I  was  also 
delighted  to  learn  &  converse  —  Gen'l  Augustus  C.  Dodge.    His  manly 
character  and  honest  frankness  impressed  me  most  forcibly,  &   I 
was  glad  to  know  of  his  well  being.    Gen'l  Henry  Dodge  has  passed 
away  from  us  &  left  us  his  sterling  worth  and  good  deeds  to  remem 
ber.    But  those  who  have  gone  are  happier  than  those  who  remain. 
They  are  spared  what  we  have  to  see  &  meet;  but  my  trust  in  the 
mercy  of  God  is  so  great,  &  my  faith  in  the  good  sense  and  probity 
of.  the  American  people  is  so  strong,  that  I  know  that  all  things  will 
in  time  come  right  —  I  hope  that  you  may  live  to  enjoy  that  good 
time  &  that  Gen'l  Dodge  may  participate   in  it.     Although  he  is 
at  some  distance  from  you,  I  hope  that  you  sometimes  enjoy  his 
company,  &  that  you  will  give  him  my  warm  regards.     To  yourself 
I    wish   every   happiness,   &  am   with   great   respect, 

Your  friend  and  servant, 

R.  B.  LEE. 

XVII. 

HANNIBAL    HAMLIN    TO   A.    C.    DODGE. 
LEGATION  OF  THE  U.  S.  OF  AMERICA,  MADRID,  June  7,  1881. 
MY  DEAR  OLD  FRIEND:     I  have  your  esteemed  favor  of  the  16th 
ult.     *     *     *     How  many  pleasant  memories  of  the  long  past   it 


OLD   LETTERS  515 


516  ANNALS  OF   IOWA 

revives  of  the  times  when  we  occupied  the  same  seat,  or  rather 
seats  side  by  side  in  the  House  of  Rep's,  and  later  on  our  service 
in  the  Senate.  Of  course  we  did  not  think  alike  and  act  together 
upon  all  questions,  but  it  is  surely  a  pleasure  to  us  both  to  know 
that  there  never  was  any  disagreement  to  disturb  the  friendly 
relations  which  have  always  existed. 

I  thank  you  for  your  kind  and  friendly  suggestions,  made  from 
your  official  experience  here  and  your  knowledge  of  the  Spanish 
people.  I  can  understand  their  force  and  correctness.  Indeed  I 
have  marked  out  for  myself  as  nearly  as  possible  the  course  you 
suggest. 

I  have  been  aware  that  there  is  much  of  historic  interest  in 
Spain  to  be  seen.  The  localities  you  name,  as  well  as  others,  I 
intend  to  visit  while  I  remain  in  this  Legation.  Indeed  that  was 
the  great  inducement  for  me  to  go  abroad.  *  *  *  The  business 
of  this  Legation  has  largely  increased  since  you  were  at  its  head; 
so  while  I  may  not  have  quite  as  much  leisure  as  you  found,  yet 
I  will  have  enough  to  see  all  that  is  of  decided  interest  in  Spain 
and  I  mean  to  do  so. 

I  will  endeavor  to  find  a  copy  of  paper  containing  what  I  said 
to  the  King  and  his  reply.  His  reception  was  very  cordial,  and  I 
was  very  favorably  impressed  with  the  appearance  of  both  the  King 
and  Queen.  *  *  * 

Will  also  from  time  to  time  endeavor  to  send  you  a  paper  as 
you  request.  In  haste  but  with  pleasant  memories  of  "auld  lang 
syne,"  I  am,  Very  truly  yours, 

H.  HAMLIN, 


DIARY  KEPT  BY  WILLIAM  EDMUNDSON,  OF  OSKA- 

LOOSA.  WHILE  CROSSING  THE  WESTERN 

PLAINS   IN   1850. 

Left  Oskaloosa,  Iowa,  in  the  Stage  on  Monday  morning,  May 
20th,  1850,  and  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day  at  Fort 
Des  Moines  and  found  my  company  9  in  number  encamped  on 
Raccoon  River  about  a  mile  from  the  Town. 

May  21st — Traveled  about  22  miles  and  camped  on  the  North 
River. 

May  22nd — Traveled  23  miles  and  encamped  on  the  Middle  Eiver 
North  Side.  This  day  it  commenced  raining  Slowly  about  12 
Oclock  and  continued  till  near  Sundown. 

May  23rd— This  morning  it  commenced  raining  before  day  and 
continued  till  about  10  Oclock  when  we  Started  and  Traveled  15 


, 


CROSSING  THE   PLAINS  IN    1850  517 

miles  where  we  crossed  Middle  River  and  went  5  miles  further  and 
camped  in  the  prairie  hauling  wood  from  the  last  Timber.  This 
day  was  cloudy  with  occasional  Showers. 

May  24th — Traveled  12  miles  and  crossed  The  East  branch  of 
the  Nodaway  about  noon  went  12  miles  further  and  camped  on  the 
West  branch  of  the  Nodaway.  Saw  but  little  Timber  to  day  and  that 
at  a  great  distance  except  where  we  camped  at  night  There  being 
a  Small  grove  on  the  Creek. 

May  25th — Traveled  15  miles  and  came  to  the  East  branch  of  the 
Nishnabotany  crossed  Over  and  went  down  the  creek  about  a  mile 
to  Indian  Town  a  Mormon  Settlement  of  7  families  being  on  the 
Site  of  an  Old  Potawatamie  village  We  then  went  7  miles  further 
and  camped  in  the  Prairie  hauling  wood  from  Indian  Town. 

May  26th — Went  8  miles  and  came  to  a  beautiful  grove  where 
there  is  a  Mormon  Settlement.  Then  5  miles  to  The  west  fork 
of  the  Nishnabotany.  Then  10  miles  to  Silver  Creek  where  There 
is  a  Mormon  village  or  Settlement. 

May  21th — This  morning  it  commenced  raining  before  day  and 
rained  very  hard  accompanied  by  Thunder  and  Lightning  but 
cleared  off  about  6  Oclock.  We  Started  about  9  Oclock  and  Trav 
eled  8  miles  to  Keg  Creek.  Then  10  miles  to  Kanesville.  The  head 
quarters  of  the  Mormans  in  Iowa  and  Situated  about  4  miles  from 
the  Missouri  River  near  the  lower  end  of  the  Council  Bluffs  at  a 
place  formerly  Called  Indian  Hollow.  A.  W.  Hildreth  from  High 
land  County,  Ohio,  Settled  here  in  1839  and  built  a  Saw  mill  within 
the  present  limits  of  the  Town.  The  Potawatomie  mills  on  Muske- 
toe  Creek  are  in  2  miles  of  this  place.  They  were  built  for  The 
Indians  Some  years  ago  by  the  U.  S.  Government.  Kanesville  con 
tains  5  or  6  hundred  inhabitants.  They  do  a  flourishing  business 
in  The  mercantile  line  Owing  Chiefly  to  the  California  emigra 
tion.  The  Frontier  Guardian  a  weekly  Newspaper  is  published 
here  Elder  Orson  Hyde  Editor.  (We  camped  2  miles  below  the 
Town.) 

May  28th — This  day  we  went  to  Kanesville  and  Bought  pro 
visions  and  Some  other  articles  for  our  journey  and  in  the  after 
noon  moved  about  6  miles  down  the  river  and  camped  on  Musketoe 
Creek  back  of  St.  Francis  (Trader's  point)  about  one  mile  from 
the  Town.  (The  6  miles  to  day  not  included  in  an  estimate  of  dis 
tances.) 

May  29th — Remained  at  our  encampment.  Some  of  the  company 
went  To  Kanesville. 

May  30th — A  sufficient  number  of  Teams  having  arrived  during 
the  day  we  joined  them  and  organized  into  a  company  amounting 
in  all  to  50  men  and  2  women. 


518  ANNALS   OF   IOWA 

May  31st— Crossed  the  river  at  St.  Francis,  or  Traders  Point, 
landing  at  Bellvue  where  The  Agency  for  the  Pawnees,  Ottoes  & 
Omahas  is  located;  An  Indian  School  under  the  direction  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  is  established  about  a  mile  from  the  agency 
under  the  Superintendence  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  McKinney;  here  the 
traveler  may  be  said  to  commence  his  journey  across  the  Plains; 
The  School  or  Mission  being  the  last  Settlement  till  we  reach  Fort 
Laramie  a  distance  of  522  miles. 

June  1st — Some  of  the  wagons  being  out  of  order,  it  became 
necessary  to  stay  till  the  afternoon  in  order  to  have  them  repaired 
upon  which  26  of  our  company  left  us  and  went  ahead.  After  get 
ting  the  wagons  ready  we  Started  about  one  O'clock  P.  M.  and 
went  5  miles  and  Camped  on  Spring  Creek. 

June  2nd — Started  early,  went  4  miles  and  crossed  a  Creek  called 
the  Pipeo.  Then  8  miles  to  the  little  Pipeo  where  there  is  a  small 
Grove  and  a  good  Spring.  Then  8  miles  to  the  Ferry  on  the  Elk- 
horn  which  is  here  about  150  yards  wide  one  and  a  half  miles  from 
its  mouth  here  there  is  some  Timber  and  the  Country  at  this 
point  seems  susceptable  of  Settlement.  After  crossing  we  camped 
about  200  yards  from  the  Elkhorn.  Soon  after  stoping  300  Pawnees 
came  up  going  toward  the  Missouri  river,  and  camped  between  us 
and  the  Ferry. 

June  3rd — Soon  after  Starting  we  got  stalled  in  a  marsh  which 
detained  us  for  some  time,  after  going  9  miles  we  came  to  Platte 
river  which  is  here  about  one-third  of  mile  wide,  in  appearance  it 
resembles  the  Missouri,  being  muddy  and  rapid  with  a  continued 
succession  of  Boils  and  Eddies,  though  the  water  is  said  to  be  very 
shallow.  After  stoping  a  short  time  to  Graze  and  Water  the  Horses 
we  went  about  9  miles  further,  2  miles  beyond  the  confluence  of 
Winter  quarters  and  Agency  Roads,  and  camped  at  a  grove  of  Tim 
ber  on  the  Platte  river;  Having  procured  a  Mormon  Guide  Book 
at  Kanesville  in  which  places  and  distances  are  laid  down  with 
great  accuracy,  we  are  enabled  to  Know  the  exact  distance  Trav 
eled  in  a  day  or  from  one  point  to  another.  This  day  we  Traveled 
18  miles.  A  few  Indians  Camped  with  us  having  followed  us  all 
the  afternoon  for  the  purpose  of  Beging.  About  Sundown  a  heavy 
rain  commenced  falling  accompanied  by  Thunder  &  Lightning 
which  continued  till  about  10  O'clock  when  the  rain  ceased,  but 
the  night  continued  to  be  very  dark  and  cloudy,  there  being  no 
moonlight. 

June  4th — Went  13  miles  and  stoped  for  noon  opposite  an  Island 
in  Platte  river.  This  Island  looks  at  a  distance  like  a  grave  in 
the  Prairie.  Went  11  miles  further  and  camped  on  Shell  Creek. 
This  night  the  rain  commenced  about  dark  and  continued  till  near 


CROSSING  THE   PLAINS   IN   1850  519 

day.  Soon  after  stoping  we  were  visited  by  12  Pawnee  wariors; 
they  said  they  were  a  part  of  a  company  of  60  who  were  en 
camped  a  short  distance  from  us  across  the  creek.  We  gave  them 
some  Small  presents  in  the  way  of  Provisions,  upon  which  they 
left  us.  They  were  probably  a  war  party  out  against  the  Sioux. 

June  5th — Early  this  morning  we  ran  our  wagons  across  Shell 
Creek  by  hand  on  a  Temporary  Bridge  made  of  Brush  the  waters 
being  high  on  account  of  the  late  rains;  Started  about  9  Oclock; 
This  day  it  commenced  raining  soon  after  we  started  and  continued 
till  about  2  Oclock  P.  M.  Soon  after  which  we  came  to  the  river 
again  and  camped.  The  river  here  is  near  a  mile  wide.  This  day 
we  Traveled  only  12  miles.  The  roads  being  very  bad  in  consequence 
of  the  rains. 

June  6th — Started  at  8  O'clock  and  went  11  miles  to  the  Ferry 
on  the  Loup  Fork.  The  Ferrymen  were  gone  and  the  Boat  sunk, 
we  attempted  to  raise  it  but  found  it  so  much  damaged  as  to  be 
unfit  for  use.  we  then  took  the  road  up  the  Loup  Fork  to  the  Ford 
which  is  48  miles  from  the  Ferry,  went  9  miles  and  camped  at 
Looking  glass  creek  near  a  small  Lake;  Traveled  20  miles  to  day. 

June  7th — Started  late  this  morning  having  to  repair  a  bridge 
before  crossing  the  creek.  Traveled  9  miles  to  Beaver  River  a 
stream  about  10  yards  wide  and  very  deep.  We  had  to  unload  our 
wagons  and  carry  the  contents  across  on  a  Temporary  Bridge  formed 
of  a  log  and  some  Brush  we  then  drew  the  empty  wagons  across 
by  Ropes  and  swam  the  Horses  and  Oxen  we  finished  crossing 
about  3  Oclock  went  6%  miles  further  and  camped  on  Plumb  creek 
near  the  site  of  Old  Pawnee  Missionary  Station  and  2  miles  from  the 
ruins  of  the  Grand  Pawnee  village.  The  Mission  was  removed  I 
believe  in  consequence  of  the  Pawnees  being  driven  from  that  part 
of  the  Country  and  the  village  above  mentioned  being  burned  by 
the  Sioux  in  1846.  Traveled  15%  miles  to  day. 

June  8th — Started  early  and  after  Traveling  2  miles  came  to  the 
ruins  of  the  principal  vilage  of  the  Grand  Pawnees  and  Tappas 
(the  one  refered  to  in  the  notes  of  yesterday)  it  is  enclosed  by  a 
wall  built  of  Sod  in  the  manner  of  an  ordinary  Sod  fence  the  wall 
is  about  6  feet  high  and  is  still  entire,  it  contains  an  Area  of  about 
30  or  40  acres;  from  appearances  the  village  Seems  to  have  had 
a  large  Population;  after  leaving  the  old  vilage  we  Traveled  4 
miles  to  Cedar  Creek  a  stream  8  rods  wide  the  water  being  deep  we 
proped  our  wagon  beds  up  on  Block  so  as  to  raise  them  a  foot 
higher  and  then  forded  the  stream  without  damage,  in  the  after 
noon  a  storm  coming  on  we  stoped  early  and  camped  at  the  foot 
of  a  Bluff,  here  there  is  the  remains  of  Some  Old  embankments 


520  ANNALS   OF    IOWA 

but  for  what  purpose  they  were  thrown  up  is  uncertain;  Some 
of  our  men  having  been  out  hunting  during  the  day  saw  several 
Buffalo  but  could  not  get  near  them,  Traveled  17  miles  to  day. 

June  9th — Went  6  miles  to  the  Loup  Fork  which  we  forded  by 
laying  poles  across  the  tops  of  our  wagon  Beds  and  piling  the  loads 
on  the  top  then  taking  the  wagons  across  by  hand  the  river  is 
here  about  300  yards  wide  about  three  feet  deep  very  rapid  and 
full  of  quick  sand.  We  commenced  at  11  Oclock  A.  M.  and  finished 
crossing  about  sundown  camping  on  the  western  bank  of  the  river, 
here  we  overtook  the  company  who  had  left  us  on  the  Missouri 
river,  they  had  crossed  the  day  before  and  had  stoped  to  rest,  Trav 
eled  6  miles  to  day. 

June  10th — Started  rather  late  the  road  for  the  first  7  miles  being 
over  a  high  ridge  very  sandy  and  broken  with  numerous  ponds 
and  Basins,  the  next  18  miles  the  country  is  flat  and  rather  marshy, 
we  camped  on  Prairie  Creek  having  again  overtaken  the  company 
who  left  us  at  the  Missouri  river,  they  had  started  before  us  in 
the  morning;  We  Traveled  25  miles  to  day. 

June  llth — Started  early  the  Country  very  level  and  tolerably 
dry.  Traveled  11  miles  and  come  to  Wood  river,  unloaded  the 
wagons  and  carried  the  loads  over  on  the  horses  then  brought  the 
wagons  over  empty.  Went  7  Miles  further  and  camped  in  the 
Prairie  about  one  mile  from  the  Platte  river.  18  miles  to  day. 

June  12th — Cool  and  cloudy  this  morning.  The  country  level  and 
dry.  Traveled  7  miles  and  came  to  Platte  River.  This  day  we 
passed  through  several  Towns  of  Prairie-Dogs.  They  bear  some 
resemblance  to  the  Gopher  are  of  a  yellowish  grey  color  and  are 
about  the  size  of  a  small  Rabbit.  They  live  on  the  Prairie  grass, 
The  soda  or  alkali  so  much  dreaded  on  the  plains  begins  to  make 
its  appearance  to  day  lying  in  a  thin  crust  in  the  Buffalo  beats 
where  the  sun  has  dried  up  the  water.  Traveled  25  miles  to  day 
and  camped  near  Platte  river. 

June  13th — Started  at  7  Oclock  Keeping  up  the  Valey  of  Platte 
River,  passed  through  a  great  many  Dog-Towns  to  day  some  of  them 
deserted  most  probably  on  account  of  the  inhabitants  having  con 
sumed  all  the  grass  in  their  vicinity  which  compelled  them  to  seek 
a  new  location.  Saw  a  good  many  dead  Buffalo  to  day  which  had 
been  killed  by  emigrants  ahead  of  us.  Saw  a  train  across  the  river 
to  day,  Traveled  25  miles  and  camped  near  the  river.  (Plumb 
Creek.) 

June  14th — Traveled  only  15  miles  to  day  still  following  up  the 
Platte  river,  at  noon  we  saw  where  a  coal-Pitt  had  been  burned, 
this  is  about  240  miles  from  the  nearest  settlement,  the  train 
across  the  river  is  still  in  sight.  (5  miles  east  of  Willow  Island.) 


CROSSING   THE   PLAINS   IN   1850  521 

June  15th — Saw  some  Buffalo  to  day  but  at  a  considerable  dis 
tance,  at  noon  we  came  to  Ptah  Lake  or  Bayou  where  we  saw 
Edward  Haggard's  grave  who  died  on  his  way  to  California,  he  is 
buried  on  the  Bank  of  the  Ptah  Lake  about  half  way  from  the 
Council  Bluffs  to  Fort  Laramie.  According  to  the  inscription  on  the 
head-board  he  died  on  the  7th  of  June  1849.  we  Traveled  24  miles 
to  day  and  camped  near  the  River.  (Brady  Island) 

June  16th — This  morning  one  of  our  Horses  died  leaving  us  only 
3  to  our  wagon.  The  road  to  day  is  sandy.  The  ground  in  places 
incrusted  with  salaratus  or  soda;  in  the  afternoon  some  of  our 
company  thought  they  Saw  Buffalo  ahead  of  us  and  left  the  wagons 
to  get  a  shot  at  them,  when  they  came  near  they  found  the  supposed 
Buffalo  to  be  the  Horses  belonging  to  the  company  who  had  gone 
ahead  of  us  at  the  crossing  of  Wood  river  the  same  that  had  first 
organized  with  us  and  left  us  at  Council  Bluffs,  we  came  up  and 
camped  near  them  by  a  small  Lake.  Traveled  22  miles  to  day. 

June  nth — This  morning  after  going  a  mile  and  a  half  we  came 
to  a  very  large  spring  of  cold  water  at  the  head  of  Pawnee  Swamp 
293  miles  from  the  Council  Bluffs,  went  on  to  the  last  Timber  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river  and  camped  about  3  Oclock  12  miles 
below  the  junction  of  the  North  and  South  Platte.  Traveled  15 
miles  to  day. 

June  18th — we  remained  at  our  encampment  to  Cook  for  our 
journey  there  being  no  more  Timber  except  a  lone  tree  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river  for  a  distance  of  200  miles. 

June  19th — This  morning  soon  after  starting  we  saw  several 
large  droves  of  Buffalo.  Two  companies  went  in  persuit  of  them; 
The  foremost  company  soon  killed  a  large  Bull,  about  the  time  we 
finished  dressing  it  the  other  company  came  up  having  killed  a  Bull, 
a  Cow  and  a  young  Heifer  but  we  had  so  much  meat  already  that 
we  did  not  go  back  for  them;  While  stoping  to  dress  our  Buffalo 
a  man  on  foot  came  up  with  us  (Isaac  Shuck  from  Louisa  County 
Iowa)  he  had  Traveled  the  whole  distance  about  600  miles  alone 
and  on  foot  till  he  overtook  us.  We  Traveled  15  Miles  to  day 
and  camped  on  North  Bluff  creek. 

June  20th — We  passed  over  Sand  Hills  and  camped  on  Petite 
creek. 

June  21st — We  camped  about  sundown  in  the  Prairie,  a  Tremen 
dous  storm  coming  on  just  as  we  stoped  for  the  night. 

June  22d — We  camped  late  in  the  evening  2  miles  above  the  lone 
tree  and  opposite  Ash  Hollow  another  storm  coming  on  about  sun 
down.  Having  been  sick  for  the  last  3  days  I  have  no  further  rec 
ollection  of  events  during  that  time. 


522  ANNALS   OF   IOWA 

June  23d — Traveled  19  miles  to  day  keeping  close  to  the  river,  the 
road  good  considering  the  late  rains.  We  are  now  400  miles  from 
the  Council  Bluffs  not  a  stick  of  Timber  in  sight. 

June  24th — To  day  at  noon  we  passed  some  Bluffs  on  the  right  of 
the  road,  Some  of  the  company  ascended  them  and  saw  the  Chimney 
Rock  a  distance  of  45  miles,  in  the  afternoon  we  passed  the 
ancient  Bluff  ruins.  They  are  high  Bluffs  composed  of  very  soft 
stone  and  which  from  the  washing  of  the  rains  or  other  causes 
have  assumed  the  appearance  of  Ancient  Castles  or  fortifications. 
We  have  Traveled  25  miles  to  day  and  camped  in  the  Prairie. 

June  25th — Started  before  sunrise  and  went  5  miles  to  where  the 
road  comes  to  the  river,  and  stoped  there  for  Breakfast,  we  saw 
the  Chimney  Rock  this  Morning  distance  about  40  miles  it  looks 
like  a  pole  set  in  the  Prairie,  after  Breakfast  we  went  21  miles  and 
camped  a  little  below  the  Chimney  rock  which  is  situated  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Eiver  apparently  about  3  miles  from  our 
encampment  but  from  information  upon  which  we  can  rely  the 
distance  is  at  least  10  miles  this  difference  between  actual  and 
apparent  distance  is  common  in  this  part  of  the  country  and  often 
brings  disappointment  to  the  emigrant,  before  he  becomes  accus 
tomed  to  the  delusion.  The  chimney  Rock  commences  in  the  shape 
of  a  Cone  then  running  up  to  a  great  height  something  in  the  form 
of  a  chimney  from  which  circumstance  it  takes  its  name;  Originally 
it  was  doubtless  one  of  the  largest  isolated  Rocks  or  Bluffs  so  com 
mon  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Platte  river  and  being  very  soft  the  action 
of  the  frost  and  rain  has  reduced  it  to  its  present  shape.  We 
Traveled  24  miles  to  day. 

June  26th — This  day  we  Traveled  23  miles  over  a  gravelly  road 
and  camped  opposite  Scotts  Bluffs. 

June  21th — To  day  in  the  forenoon  we  saw  Laramie  Peake  being 
Then  45  miles  from  Fort  Laramie.  We  Traveled  21  miles  to  day 
and  camped  on  a  creek  200  yds  south  of  the  road.  There  has  been 
much  rain  lately. 

June  28th — Went  12  miles  and  stoped  at  noon  at  the  first  Timber 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  for  the  last  200  miles  further  and 
camped  near  the  River,  Grass  scarce  for  the  first  time  since  leaving 
the  Council  Bluffs,  Wood  plenty.  Traveled  22  miles  to  day. 

June  29th — Went  7  miles  and  arrived  opposite  Fort  Laramie 
about  10  Oclock  A.  M.  camped  and  remained  till  next  morning, 
Grass  very  scarce;  during  the  day  Some  Emigrants  crossed  from 
the  Fort  who  had  come  up  on  the  South  Side  of  Platte  River  who 
informed  us  that  the  Cholera  had  been  very  fatal  among  the 
emigrants  on  that  rout. 


CROSSING  THE   PLAINS  IN   1850  523 

June  30th — Crossed  the  river  and  camped  about  2  miles  from  Fort 
Laramie  which  is  situated  on  the  Laramie  river,  one  and  a  half 
miles  from  its  junction  with  North  Platte,  It  was  built  by  the 
American  Fur  Company  and  is  surrounded  by  a  wall  eleven  (11) 
feet  high.  The  wall  is  made  of  Adobes  which  are  bricks  dried  in 
the  sun  and  put  up  without  being  burned.  Being  well  situated  for 
a  Military  Post,  the  Fort  was  purchased  by  the  United  States  in 
1848  it  is  now  occupied  by  2  companies  of  Infantry  and  one  com 
pany  of  Mounted  Riflemen  under  the  command  of  Major  Sander 
son.  An  office  is  kept  here  in  which  is  registered  the  name  and 
former  residence  of  each  emigrant  traveling  this  rout.  Laramie 
Peak  (A  Spur  of  the  Rocky  Mountains)  is  55  miles  from  this  place 
and  may  be  seen  at  a  distance  of  100  miles.  The  Black  hills 
commence  here. 

July  1st — This  day  we  spent  in  making  arrangements  to  continue 
our  journey,  the  next  Settlement  except  Fort  Bridger  being  at  the 
Salt-Lake  which  is  distant  509  miles.  This  -place  (Fort  Laramie) 
is  522  miles  from  the  Council  Bluffs. 

July  2d — This  morning  we  bought  a  Horse  for  $100  to  replace 
the  one  that  died  on  Platte  river  and  started  on  our  journey  about 
noon  and  went  12  Miles  through  the  Black  hills  when  we  came  to 
a  large  spring  but  were  disappointed  to  find  it  so  warm  as  to  be 
unfit  for  use  but  on  going  about  a  mile  and  a  half  down  the  creek 
we  found  good  water  and  tolerable  grass,  where  we  camped. 

July  3d — This  day  we  reached  Dead-Timber  creek  having  Trav 
eled  15  miles,  wood  &  water  plenty,  but  grass  Scarce.  Still  among 
the  Black-hills. 

July  4th — Traveled  18  miles  to  day  and  camped  on  a  small  creek 
with  very  little  grass. 

July  5th — Traveled  only  13  miles  to  day  and  camped  on  La  Bonte 
river  a  stream  about  10  yards  wide.  400  Crow  Indians  said  to  be 
camped  a  short  distance  up  the  river.  Though  we  saw  none  of 
them.  Peppermint  grows  wild  here. 

July  6th— Traveled  19  miles  to  day  and  crossed  La  Prele  river 
where  we  saw  some  men  diging  a  grave  for  a  woman  who  had  died 
leaving  two  small  Infants  (Twins),  we  went  4  miles  further  and 
camped  on  a  small  Creek  at  a  cold  spring,  grass  Very  scarce. 

July  1th — To  day  we  remained  at  our  encampment.  Some  of  the 
company  went  out  hunting  and  killed  3  Buffalo. 

July  8th — Traveled  8  miles  and  came  to  Platte  river  which  we  had 
not  seen  for  the  last  80  miles  (here  we  leave  the  Black  hills)  went 
5  miles  further  and  camped  on  Deer  Creek  at  a  celebrated 


524  ANNALS   OF    IOWA 

camping  place,  grass  and  water  scarce  but  from  appearances  it  has 
once  been  abundant  in  this  vicinity. 

July  9th — Went  down  Deer-Creek  to  its  mouth  and  crossed  the 
Platte  river  in  a  boat  that  had  been  found  and  repaired  by  the 
emigrants  and  camped  on  the  North  Side  opposite  the  crossing  28 
miles  below  the  upper  or  Mormon  Ferry.  The  water  of  Platte 
river  much  clearer  and  the  Current  more  gentle  than  it  is  lower 
down. 

July  10th — Traveled  18  miles  up  the  river  and  camped  rather 
early  having  found  some  excellent  grass,  rather  unusual  for  the 
last  12  days. 

July  llth — Continued  our  journey  up  the  river  and  arrived  oppo 
site  the  upper  Ferry  about  noon,  went  15  miles  further  and  stoped 
near  sundown  at  some  springs,  but  the  water  being  represented  as 
poisonous  we  did  not  use  any  of  it  and  concluded  to  go  on  to  the 
next  water  (13  miles)  where  we  arrived  about  Midnight  and 
camped  on  a  small  creek  3  miles  below  the  Willow-Springs  having 
traveled  38  miles  to  day. 

July  12th — Started  very  early  and  went  on  to  the  Willow-Springs 
where  we  stoped  for  breakfast,  on  reaching  the  Top  of  the  hill 
after  leaving  the  Willow-Springs  we  came  in  sight  of  the  Sweet- 
Water  Mountains.  To  day  our  road  lay  mostly  through  a  level  plain 
covered  with  loose  sand,  about  sundown  we  came  to  the  alkali 
ponds.  Salaratus  is  found  here  in  large  quantities  being  produced 
by  evaporation.  We  reached  Sweet-Water  river  a  little  after  dark, 
having  traveled  21  miles  to  day  over  the  worst  road  we  have  had 
since  leaving  home.  This  night  we  camped  close  to  Independence 
Rock.  The  Sweet-Water  river  is  about  20  yards  wide  at  this  place 
the  water  is  very  clear  and  entirely  free  from  Alkali  from  which 
circumstance  it  probably  takes  its  name,  the  Independence-Rock  is 
situated  on  a  level  plain  where  the  road  first  comes  to  Sweet- Water 
and  is  a  solid  Rock  of  Granite  about  600  yards  long  120  yards  wide 
and  80  or  100  feet  high.  (Some  say  120  feet  high) 

July  13th — Early  this  morning  being  told  that  we  could  find  grass 
about  4  miles  north  of  the  road  we  started  in  search  of  it  and 
found  a  small  Valey  or  Basin  where  several  trains  were  encamped. 
We  found  plenty  of  grass  and  firewood  but  water  rather  scarce 
the  wild  sage  grows  to  a  most  enormous  size  in  this  Valey.  We 
stayed  during  the  remainder  of  the  day  to  recruit  our  Teams. 

July  14th — This  morning  we  started  and  passed  a  place  called 
the  Devils-Gate  (2  miles  from  Independence-Rock)  at  this  place 
the  Sweet-Water  is  forced  through  a  narrow  passage  between  per 
pendicular  Rocks  several  hundred  feet  high.  Some  of  our  com 
pany  (with  some  difficulty)  passed  through  the  Gate  which  is  about 


CROSSING  THE   PLAINS  IN   1850  525 

2    miles    in    length.      (Traveled    18    miles    and    camped    on    Sweet- 
Water.) 

July  15th — Traveled  19  miles  to  day  and  again  camped  on  the 
Sweet-Water. 

July  16th — Traveled  24  miles  to  day  and  camped  on  the  Sweet- 
Water  42  miles  from  the  South-Pass. 

July  17th — To  day  at  noon  we  left  the  Sweet-Water  and  traveled 
over  a  Mountain  and  camped  on  Strawberry-Creek.  Came  20  miles 
to  day. 

July  18th — Traveled  10  miles  and  came  to  the  river  again  12 
miles  from  the  South-Pass,  and  camped;  here  we  saw  a  large  Bank 
of  snow  on  the  road-side  near  the  river. 

July  19th — Crossed  the  Sweet-Water  for  the  last  time,  Traveled 
12  miles  and  crossed  the  dividing  ridge  between  the  waters  of  the 
Atlantic  and  the  Pacific  about  1  Oclock  P.  M.  The  South-Pass  is  an 
elevated  Plain  about  7000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Sea.  The  road 
passes  about  20  miles  South  of  the  Wind-River  Mountains  which  rise 
to  the  height  of  13000  feet  and  are  always  covered  with  Snow.  The 
Colorado  the  Yellow-Stone  and  Lewis's  river  head  in  these  Moun 
tains.  After  crossing  the  ridge  we  went  3  miles  and  Camped  at  the 
Pacific  Springs.  Traveled  15  miles  to  day. 

July  20th — To  day  we  crossed  Dry-Sandy,  Little-Sandy  and  camped 
after  dark  on  Big-Sandy.  They  are  all  Tributaries  of  Green-River. 
We  Traveled  30  miles  to  day. 

July  21st — This  morning  we  crossed  the  Big-Sandy  Traveled  17 
miles  and  camped  at  night  on  the  same  stream  but  did  not  cross  it. 

July  22d — Traveled  10  miles  and  came  to  Green  River.  Crossed 
over  and  camped  2  miles  below  the  Ferry.  Green-River  is  about 
100  yards  wide  with  a  deep  and  rapid  current.  Traveled  12  miles 
to  day. 

July  23d — After  traveling  5  miles  down  the  river  we  found  some 
good  grass  where  we  stoped  till  the  morning  of  the  25th  during  our 
stay  here  we  caught  some  Pish  and  killed  some  Sage-Hens. 

July  25th — Left  Green-River  Traveled  16  miles  and  camped  on 
Blacks-Fork  another  branch  of  Green-River. 

July  26th— This  morning  we  left  the  Old  Mormon  Road  and  took 
one  bearing  more  to  the  north  and  camped  at  night  on  a  small  creek 
the  water  of  which  was  very  Muddy  an  unusual  thing  in  this  region, 
here  we  found  plenty  of  grass  We  traveled  about  20  miles  to  day. 

July  27th — This  morning  soon  after  starting  some  of  the  com 
pany  killed  an  Antelope,  we  traveled  15  miles  and  came  to  the  old 
road  at  Fort-Bridger  about  2  Oclock  P.  M.  where  we  encamped. 


526  ANNALS  OF   IOWA 

Fort-Bridger  consists  of  a  few  Cabins  surrounded  by  a  Stockade 
of  Pine  logs.  It  was  built  in  1842  by  Mr.  Bridger  who  still 
occupies  it  as  an  Indian  Trading-Post.  The  soil  appears  to  be  rich 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  fort,  but  the  climate  is  too  cold 
to  admit  of  farming  or  gardening.  This  place  is  on  the  head  waters 
of  Blacks-Fork  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Utah  Mountains 
which  are  covered  with  snow.  We  are  now  114  miles  from  the  Salt- 
Lake  City. 

July  28th — Left  Fort-Bridger  about  noon  Traveled  10  miles  & 
camped  on  a  small  creek. 

July  29th — We  started  early  and  Traveled  4  miles  to  the  Muddy- 
fork  where  we  saw  the  Grave  of  George  Tallman  a  man  with  whom 
we  were  acquainted  and  who  had  passed  us  on  the  Sweet- Water,  he 
died  July  28th.  This  day  about  noon  we  crossed  the  ridge  dividing 
the  waters  of  the  Pacific  from  the  Great-Basin.  We  camped  at  night 
on  Sulphur  Creek  a  branch  of  the  Bear  River,  having  Traveled  21 
miles  to  day. 

July  30th — After  traveling  2  miles  we  crossed  Bear-River  the 
largest  stream  that  empties  into  the  Salt-Lake.  Went  15  miles 
further  and  camped  on  a  small  creek  near  Cache  Cave. 

July  31st — Traveled  16  miles  to  day  and  camped  on  Echo-creek. 
A  berry  resembling  the  Black-Currant  grows  here  in  great  quan 
tities. 

Aug.  1st — Traveled  down  Echo-Creek  5  miles  when  we  came  [to] 
the  Red-fork  of  Weber  River,  here  the  road  forked  and  a  large 
Guide-Board  is  placed  advising  Travelers  to  take  the  new  or  left 
hand  rout  but  we  kept  the  Old  Mormon  road  which  we  afterwards 
understood  was  much  the  best.  The  Red-Fork  is  about  20  yards 
wide  and  has  some  timber  growing  on  its  Margin,  we  traveled 
down  the  river  4  miles  where  we  crossed  over  went  4  miles  further 
and  camped  on  a  small  creek.  Traveled  13  miles  to  day. 

Aug.  2d — Traveled  17  miles  and  camped  on  Kanyon  Creek.  This 
evening  we  met  the  Mail  going  from  Salt-Lake  to  independence 
Missouri. 

Aug.  3d — Left  Kanyon  Creek  and  commenced  ascending  a  high 
Mountain  (covered  with  Timber  mostly  of  the  Balsam  Fir)  on  reach 
ing  the  Summit  we  came  in  sight  of  a  portion  of  the  Salt-Lake 
valey  being  then  17  miles  from  the  City,  in  the  afternoon  we 
crossed  another  Mountain  and  at  night  camped  on  a  small  stream 
called  the  Last-Creek  9  miles  from  the  City. 

Aug.  Jfth — Proceeding  down  the  creek  about  5  miles  we  came  to 
the  Salt-Lake  valey  and  reached  the  City  about  11  Oclock  A.  M. 
We  passed  through  without  stoping  crossed  the  Jordan  or  Utah  out- 


CROSSING  THE   PLAINS  IN   1850  527 

let  on  a  Toll-Bridge  and  camped  about  3  miles  from  the  Town  where 
we  remained  till  the  Morning  of  the  10th. 

On  the  24th  of  July  1847  a  company  of  Mormons  consisting  of  120 
men  entered  the  valey  of  the  Salt-Lake  (Previously  called  Bear 
Valey)  and  took  up  Their  residence  on  the  site  of  the  present  City, 
In  August  and  September  about  600  wagons  with  families  arrived. 
This  was  the  first  Settlement  at  Salt-Lake. 

The  City  is  22  miles  South-East  of  Salt-Lake  on  the  Eastern  side 
of  the  Valey,  on  a  slightly  inclined  Plain.  It  is  laid  out  into  19 
Wards  (the  20th  Ward  runing  into  a  Spur  of  the  Mountains  is  not 
included  in  the  Corporation)  each  Ward  is  divided  into  Blocks  of 
10  Acres  each  and  each  Block  in  8  Lots  of  an  Acre  and  a  quarter. 
The  Blocks  are  divided  by  streets  8  rods  wide  and  a  stream  of 
Spring-water  from  the  mountain  is  conducted  through  each  street 
throughout  its  entire  length.  The  dwelling-houses  are  built  of 
Adobes  or  unburned  Brick.  They  are  generally  plain  but  neat  and 
comfortable.  They  have  a  State-House  built  of  Red  Sand-Stone 
which  they  procure  in  the  neighboring  Mountains.  They  have  also 
a  Tithing-House  in  progress  of  building  of  the  same  material.  Lime 
is  found  in  this  neighborhood  in  a  natural  state  of  decomposition 
and  Plaster  of  Paris  is  found  in  the  same  vicinity.  The  outlet 
from  the  Utah  Lake  to  the  Salt-Lake  runs  a  short  distance  west 
of  the  City,  This  stream  which  was  formerly  called  the  Utah  Out 
let,  the  Mormons  have  appropriately  enough  named  the  Jordan 
and  by  this  name  it  is  now  generally  known.  The  Salt-Lake  Valey 
is  60  or  70  miles  in  length  and  on  an  average  about  20  miles  wide 
a  part  of  it  is  very  fertile  and  produces  enormous  crops  of  Wheat, 
Barley,  Oats  and  Garden  vegetables.  A  considerable  portion  how 
ever  of  the  Valey  is  entirely  barren  and  unfit  for  cultivation.  The 
whole  Valey  is  said  to  contain  a  Population  of  about  20  thousand; 
five  or  six  thousand  of  whom  are  in  the  city.  The  Mormons  have 
Settlements  in  several  other  Valeys  within  the  Great-Basin. 

The  distances  heretofore  have  been  given  as  laid  down  in  the 
Mormon  Guide-Book  which  Terminates  at  this  place.  Hereafter  they 
will  be  given  according  to  the  best  information  we  can  procure 
which  may  in  some  instances  be  slightly  incorrect. 

Aug.  10th — This  morning  about  10  Oclock  we  resumed  our  jour 
ney  taking  the  Rout  South  of  the  Salt-Lake  commonly  called  Has 
tings'  Cut  off.  Traveled  15  miles  and  camped  at  the  foot  of  a 
Mountain  on  the  West  side  of  the  Valey. 

Aug.  llth — This  day  in  the  forenoon  we  came  to  the  Salt-Lake 
and  went  in  bathing,  the  water  is  so  heavy  that  a  man  will  float 
upon  it  without  making  any  exertions  and  so  strongly  impregnated 
with  salt  that  no  living  animal  is  found  to  exist  in  it.  When  we 
came  out  we  found  ourselves  covered  with  an  incrustation  of  salt 


528  ANNALS   OF   IOWA 

which  proved  annoying  as  we  could  procure  no  fresh  water  to  wash 
it  off.  The  Lake  is  said  to  be  from  80  to  100  miles  long  North  and 
South  and  60  or  70  miles  wide.  There  are  several  Islands  in  it 
upon  some  of  which  are  high  Mountains.  We  Traveled  25  miles 
to  day  and  Camped  at  the  Willow-Springs,  where  we  remained  dur 
ing  the  12th  to  recuit  our  Horses  and  Procure  a  supply  of  Hay 
for  the  Desert  being  the  last  opportunity  we  shall  have. 

Aug.  13th — Traveled  25  miles  over  a  very  dusty  road  and  camped 
at  a  spring  of  Brackish  water  with  very  little  grass  or  wood,  here 
two  men  who  were  Traveling  ahead  of  us  passed  us  in  the  night 
returning  towards  Salt-Lake  City  with  a  Woman  and  little  Girl 
whom  they  had  found  in  the  road  having  been  abandoned  and  left 
by  their  Company.  (They  belonged  to  a  company  of  Cherokees) 

Aug.  14th — We  traveled  10  miles  to  day  over  a  dusty  road  and 
about  noon  came  to  some  springs  of  good  water  with  plenty  of  grass 
but  no  fuel  except  wild  sage,  here  we  stoped  for  the  remainder  of 
the  day. 

Aug.  15th — This  morning  we  took  in  a  supply  of  water  for  the 
Desert  and  after  Traveling  15  miles  over  a  plain  covered  in  places 
with  salt  we  caine  to  the  foot  of  a  Mountain  where  we  found  a 
spring  of  Brackish  water  plenty  of  fire-wood  and  some  grass;  here 
the  Desert  commences. 

Aug.  Wth — To  day  about  3  Oclock  P.  M.  we  commenced  our  jour 
ney  across  the  Desert  and  at  7  Oclock  on  the  Morning  of  the  18th 
we  arrived  at  the  first  springs  where  we  found  plenty  of  water 
and  grass  where  we  remained  till  the  Morning  of  the  21st.  during 
the  Trip  we  stoped  in  all  about  8  hours.  The  distance  across  the 
Desert  according  to  the  best  accounts  is  91  miles.  The  first 
8  miles  is  over  a  Mountain.  The  next  twenty  miles  is  a  sandy 
plain,  when  we  come  to  a  ridge  or  low  Mountain  runing  East  and 
West,  after  crossing  the  ridge  the  road  lies  over  a  level  plain  cov 
ered  more  or  less  with  salt.  This  plain  is  evidently  covered  with 
water  during  the  winter  season  and  probably  communicates  with  the 
Salt-Lake  which  rises  and  falls  several  feet  during  the  year.  At 
the  time  we  passed  ponds  of  salt-water  were  still  standing  in  many 
places. 

Aug.  21st — This  Morning  we  started  and  after  going  5  miles  we 
stoped  at  a  large  spring  of  rather  Brackish  water  where  we  remained 
till  6  Oclock  P.  M.  when  we  a<;ain  started  and  at  about  2  Oclock  in 
the  Morning  we  came  to  some  holes  of  fresh  water  but  found  no 
grass  here  we  stoped  till  8  Oclock  next  Morning  during  this  day  and 
night  we  traveled  about  25  miles. 


GROSSING  THE   PLAINS   IN    1850  529 

Aug.  22d — After  Traveling  18  miles  we  came  to  a  place  called 
Slough-Springs  at  about  2  Oclock  P.  M.  here  finding  good  grass  and 
water  we  encamped. 

Aug.  23d — This  day  we  did  not  start  till  Sundown  and  arrived 
about  midnight  at  some  warm  Sulphur  Springs  having  Traveled  18 
miles  here  we  found  some  grass,  and  stoped  till  next  Morning.  Some 
emigrants  who  are  encamped  here  say  it  is  only  6  miles  to  the 
Humboldt  river,  we  think  it  is  very  doubtful. 

Aug.  24th — Started  at  8  Oclock  and  crossed  over  a  Mountain  But 
instead  of  finding  the  Humboldt  we  came  upon  a  dry  sandy  plain, 
during  the  day  we  could  see  what  appeared  to  be  groves  of  Timber 
and  Lakes  of  water  in  different*  directions  but  they  proved  to  be 
Optical  delusions.  The  groves  of  Timber  turned  out  to  be  sage 
brush  and  the  Lakes  to  be  plains  of  white  sand.  These  deceptive 
appearances  are  not  uncommon  on  these  Deserts,  in  the  Afternoon 
we  came  to  the  some  Sulphur  Springs  similar  to  those  we  left  in 
the  Morning.  Here  we  found  a  paper  informing  Emigrants  that 
there  was  good  grass  and  water  about  2  Miles  to  the  North  of  the 
road  we  accordingly  went  and  found  it  as  they  had  described  and 
a  large  number  of  emigrants  encamped.  We  have  remained  here  till 
the  morning  of  the  26th,  20  Miles  to  day. 

Aug  26th — This  Morning  we  started  early  and  crossed  over  a 
Mountain  into  a  valey  and  about  noon  came  to  grass  and  water  where 
we  stoped  about  2  hours;  after  dinner  we  started  again  and  crossed 
another  Mountain  about  dark,  seeing  some  fires  ahead  we  kept  on 
through  the  valey  for  about  5  miles  where  we  found  a  company  of 
emigrants  here  we  encamped  having  Traveled  about  30  miles  to  day. 
No  word  of  the  Humboldt  yet. 

Aug.  27th — This  morning  we  found  ourselves  in  a  large  valey 
extending  appearantly  about  20  miles  to  the  North.  On  the  South 
we  could  not  see  its  terminations  it  is  about  15  or  20  miles  in  width 
with  a  high  Mountain  runing  along  the  west  side.  Grass  and  water 
in  great  abundance.  This  day  our  Horses  having  taken  a  stam 
pede  we  only  Traveled  14  miles  our  road  was  on  the  West  side  of 
the  valey  bearing  nearly  due  South. 

Aug.  28th — This  Morning  we  started  early  and  in  the  course  of 
the  day  crossed  a  great  many  creeks  formed  by  springs  from  the 
Mountains;  grass  still  plenty  and  soil  rich  Our  road  to  day  lay 
in  the  same  direction  as  yesterday.  We  traveled  25  miles  and 
Camped  at  one  of  the  numerous  springs. 

Aug.  29th — Continued  our  journey  in  the  same  direction  as  yes 
terday  and  the  day  before,  the  country  presenting  the  same  appear 
ance,  having  Traveled  about  18  miles  we  encamped  in  a  few  miles 


530  ANNALS  OF   IOWA 

of  the  lower  end  of  the  valey  where  it  appears  to  be  shut  in  by 
the  Mountains.  We  found  a  large  number  of  emigrants  encamped 
and  waiting  for  company.  They  had  a  map  of  the  Country  and  had 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  we  had  lost  our  road  and  had  taken  the 
rout  taken  by  Fremont  in  1845,  which  goes  by  Walkers  Lake.  It  is 
tolerably  certain  we  are  not  on  Hastings-Cutoff  as  the  road  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  Traveled  by  Emigrants  till  the  present  season. 
The  valey  through  which  we  have  just  passed  is  probably  as  large 
as  the  valey  of  the  Salt-Lake.  The  soil  seems  to  be  equally  as  good 
and  capable  of  supporting  as  large  a  Population.  This  valey  is 
situated  about  300  miles  South  West  of  Salt-Lake  City,  by  the  road. 

Aug.  80th — This  morning  our  road  bore  westward  across  the 
Mountain  we  started  in  company  with  the  other  emigrants  and  after 
crossing  the  Mountain  the  road  turned  to  the  north  precisely  in 
an  opposite  direction  from  the  course  Traveled  for  the  last  three 
days.  We  Traveled  20  miles  and  camped  on  a  small  creek;  not  yet 
certain  whether  we  are  on  the  Fremonts  rout  or  not. 

Aug.  .Ust — This  morning  our  Road  continued  north  down  the 
valey.  The  creek  sometimes  disappearing  under  ground  then  rising 
again,  we  Traveled  about  18  miles  to  day  and  Camped  at  some  wells 
of  Brackish  water  which, had  been  dug  by  former  Emigrants. 

Sept.  1st — This  morning  after  Traveling  about  7  miles  down  the 
valey  we  again  come  to  water,  the  same  creek  reappearing.  We 
Traveled  down  the  valey  till  near  sundown  and  camped  on  the  creek 
having  come  25  miles  to  day,  during  the  forenoon  Some  emigrants 
found  the  bodies  of  two  men  supposed  to  have  been  killed  by  the 
Indians,  who  are  said  to  be  very  troublesome  in  this  region  though 
we  have  seen  but  one  Since  crossing  the  Desert.  We  have  been 
Traveling  for  the  last  50  miles  in  an  opposite  direction  from  our 
rout  down  the  Big  Valey  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mountain.  We 
supposed  this  place  to  be  not  more  than  20  miles  from  where  we 
left  on  the  Morning  of  the  27th  Ultimo.  We  have  come  to  the  con 
clusion  that  we  are  not  on  Freemonts  rout,  but  don't  know  where 
we  are.  Think  we  are  not  far  from  the  Sink  of  the  Humboldt. 

Sept.  2d — After  Traveling  down  the  valey  about  5  or  6  miles  we 
came  to  a  large  creek  coming  in  on  our  right  hand  from  the  South 
East;  we  kept  down  this  creek  in  a  North-west  direction  till  noon 
where  it  enters  a  canyon  and  runs  nearly  due  west.  We  started 
through  the  Kanyon  at  one  Oclock  P.  M.  and  about  sundown 
emerged  into  a  valey  of  considerable  size  with  a  rich  soil  producing 
an  abundance  of  Grass,  Mustard  and  Flax,  here  we  encamped  hav 
ing  traveled  22  miles.  The  Kanyon  through  which  we  passed  this 
evening  is  so  narrow  that  in  many  places  we  had  to  Travel  along 
the  bed  of  the  creek  for  a  considerable  distance  there  being  no  room 


CROSSING  THE   PLAINS   IN   1850  531 

on  either  side  for  a  road,  it  is  hemed  in  by  precipitous  mountains 
and  overhanging  Rocks.  Across  the  valey  4  or  5  miles  North  of  our 
encampment  is  the  appearance  of  a  larger  stream  coming  in  from 
the  East,  which  we  suppose  to  be  the  Humboldt  though  Some  of 
the  company  think  Otherwise;  We  Shall  probably  see  in  the  morn 
ing. 

Sept.  3d — This  morning  after  going  about  4  miles  we  found  a 
paper  Posted  up  on  the  road-side  dated  a  few  days  back  and  appar 
ently  directed  to  some  of  the  writers  Friends'  informing  them  that 
they  were  then  in  a  few  miles  of  Walkers-River  and  about  200 
miles  from  Sacramento  City.  After  going  about  2  miles  further  we 
came  to  a  river  of  considerable  size  which  we  all  supposed  to  be 
the  Humboldt,  notwithstanding  the  notice  we  had  just  seen  on  the 
road.  Soon  afterwards  we  were  overtaken  by  some  Emigrants  who 
had  come  by  the  Northern  Rout  from  the  Salt-Lake.  They  informed 
us  that  the  river  down  which  we  were  now  Traveling  was  Really 
the  Humboldt  and  that  we  were  now  about  220  miles  above  the 
Sink.  Though  somewhat  disappointed  to  find  ourselves  so  far  from 
the  end  of  our  journey  we  were  glad  at  being  now  upon  a  road  of 
which  we  had  some  knowledge.  We  had  all  been  mistaken  in  re 
gard  to  the  Rout,  the  Road  bearing  much  farther  North  than  we  had 
supposed  for  several  days  past.  We  Traveled  18  Miles  to  day  and 
camped  on  a  small  creek  near  the  River  on  the  North  side.  Here 
upon  comparing  our  notes  of  distances  with  those  of  a,  man  who  had 
Traveled  the  same  Rout  we  found  a  variation  of  12  miles  in  our 
calculations  since  leaving  Salt-Lake  a  distance  of  about  450  miles 
From  the  best  accounts  given  by  other  Emigrants  the  Road  Traveled 
by  us  is  about  120  miles  further  than  the  Northern  rout  from  the 
Salt-Lake  which  comes  in  by  the  head  of  the  Humboldt.  We  now 
think  it  probable  that  we  left  Hastings'-Cuttoff  at  the  Slough-Springs 
on  the  23d  of  August. 

Sept.  fill — This  morning  we  left  the  valey  of  the  Humboldt  and 
Traveled  over  a  range  of  Mountains  17  miles  when  we  again  came 
to  the  river.  After  going  3  miles  further  we  camped  having  Trav 
eled  20  miles. 

Sept.  5th — To  day  in  the  forenoon  we  came  to  where  the  road 
forks  one  runing  on  each  side  of  the  river.  We  took  the  one  on 
the  North  side,  in  the  afternoon  we  came  to  the  Grave  of  Ephraim 
Bowles  of  Keokuk  County  Iowa;  from  the  inscription  on  the  Head- 
Board  he  was  killed  on  the  19th  of  August  in  a  Skirmish  with 
the  Indians  about  10  miles  North  of  the  Road.  We  went  6  miles 
where  we  camped  and  killed  a  Beef  which  we  had  bought  being 
nearly  out  of  Provisions.  Traveled  22  miles  to  day. 

Sept.  6th — Remained  at  our  encampment  for  the  purpose  of  drying 
our  Beef. 


532  ANNALS   OF   IOWA 

Sept.  1th — Soon  after  starting  we  saw  a  number  of  Indians  they 
showed  Some  hostile  intentions  but  finally  went  off  without  molest 
ing  us  We  Traveled  25  miles  to  day  and  Camped  near  the  River. 
Here  we  overtook  a  man  and  his  wife  Traveling  with  no  other  com 
pany  except  one  man  who  was  sick  They  camped  with  us. 

Sept.  8th— This  day  we  Traveled  22  miles  besides  losing  about 
12  miles  by  taking  the  wrong  road  (Probably  Lawsons  Cutoff)  upon 
which  we  went  about  6  miles  and  then  came  back  to  the  road  which 
we  had  left  a  short  distance  ahead  of  where  we  turned  off.  We 
camped  near  the  river  with  about  25  men  belonging  to  Woodwards 
Train  from  Cincinnati.  One  of  their  men  very  sick. 

Sept.  9th — Woodwards  Company  started  ahead  of  us.  About 
10  Oclock  we  passed  them.  The  sick  man  having  died  they  were 
diging  his  Grave.  They  overtook  us  in  the  afternoon.  *  We  Traveled 
till  after  dark  and  Camped  together.  We  Traveled  about  30  miles 
to  day. 

Sept.  10th — We  traveled  20  miles  to  day  and  camped  at  a  small 
Grove  of  Thorn-Bushes.  The  only  Timber  except  small  Willows 
that  we  had  seen  since  reaching  the  Humboldt. 

Sept.  llth — Traveled  20  miles  and  camped  in  a  head  of  the  river 
among  the  Willows  with  but  little  grass. 

Sept.  12th — This  day  Traveled  till  after  dark  before  we  camped 
making  only  20  miles,  We  took  our  Horses  across  the  river  into  a 
little  bend  but  found  very  little  grass. 

Sept.  13th — This  morning  2  Indian  men  and  a  Boy  came  to  our 
camp  with  2  Horses  and  2  Mules,  we  talked  of  claiming  them  as 
stolen  property  but  finally  let  them  pass  concluding  that  they  were 
the  rightful  owners.  We  started  and  about  10  Oclock  met  the  Owner 
inquiring  for  them.  They  had  been  stolen  the  night  before.  We 
reached  the  Big-Meadow  after  dark  where  we  camped  having  Trav 
eled  30  miles  to  day. 

Sept.  14th — This  morning  my  Brother  David  and  Myself  left  the 
company  with  whom  we  had  Traveled  from  home.  Went  on  5  miles 
and  joined  Dr.  Bell's  Train  Our  company  being  nearly  out  of  Pro 
visions  we  thought  it  best  to  separate. 

Sept.  15th — To  day  we  remained  at  our  encampment  and  cut.  Hay 
preparatory  to  crossing  the  Desert  between  the  Humboldt  and 
Carson  Rivers. 

Sept.  16th — Resumed  our  journey  Traveled  16  miles  and  camped 
close  to  Humboldt-Lake. 

Sept.  nth — After  Traveling  9  miles  we  crossed  the  Outlet  from 
the  Lake  being  merely  a  continuation  of  the  river  which  finally 


CROSSING  THE  PLAINS  IN   1850  533 

sinks  among  the  Sand-Hills  a  few  miles  below.  About  1  Oclock 
P.  M.  started  on  the  Desert  which  commences  at  the  crossing  of  the 
Outlet  and  continues  to  the  Carson  River,  the  distance  is  said  to  be 
40  miles.  We  Traveled  all  night  and  in  the  Morning  at  sunrise 
found  ourselves  about  6  miles  from  Carson  River.  Our  Teams  very 
tired  and  the  worst  part  of  the  Desert  before  us.  We  held  a  consul 
tation  and  concluded  to  take  the  Cattle  from  the  Wagons  and  send 
them  forward  with  a  part  of  the  company  to  the  river  while  some 
of  us  should  remain  with  the  Wagons.  This  was  accordingly  done. 
Four  of  us  remained  in  the  Desert  till  about  sundown  when  those 
who  had  gone  ahead  in  the  Morning  returned  with  the  Teams  and 
we  all  went  on  to  the  River.  Here  we  found  quite  a  village  of  Tents 
a  number  of  Traders  having  established  themselves  here  temporarily 
for  the  purpose  of  trading  with  the  Emigrants.  They  were  selling 
Flour  at  20  cents  per  pound  which  we  considered  cheap  having  paid 
one  Dollar  a  pound  at  the  Big-Meadows.  The  Destruction  of  prop 
erty  on  the  Desert  during  the  present  season  has  been  immense. 
At  the  time  we  crossed  it  was  estimated  that  5  thousand  head  of 
Horses,  Mules  and  Oxen  were  lying  dead  in  a  distance  of  40  miles; 
incredible  as  this  statement  may  seem  it  perhaps  falls  short  of 
the  actual  number.  The  destruction  of  Wagons  and  other  property 
was  in  proportion.  Our  company  lost  2  Horses  and  an  other  company 
who  Traveled  with  us  lost  32  head  of  Oxen.  It  is  supposed  that  the 
Cattle  generally  died  from  the  effects  of  the  Alkali  water  at  the 
crossing  of  the  outlet.  The  Carson  river  is  about  30  yards  wide 
much  the  same  size  as  the  Humboldt,  it  runs  into  a  Lake  and  sinks, 
the  water  is  clear  and  apparently  free  from  Alkali. 

Sept.  19th — This  Morning  we  started  again  Traveling  up  the 
Carson  river  about  5  miles  where  we  encamped  and  remained  till 
next  morning. 

Sept.  20tn — Started  early  but  only  went  3  miles  till  we  stoped 
haying  a  desert  of  12  miles  before  us  which  we  concluded  not  to 
cross  till  evening.  Started  again  at  1  Oclock  and  Traveled  18  miles 
further  stoping  about  9  Oclock  at  night  having  Traveled  21  miles 
to  day.  We  remained  here  till  the  afternoon  of  the  22d  to  recruit 
our  Teams,  having  found  good  grass,  the  first  we  have  had  since 
crossing  the  Desert. 

Sept.  22d— Started  at  1  Oclock  P.  M.  Traveled  10  miles  and 
camped.  Turning  our  cattle  onto  an  Island  in  the  river  we  found 
good  grass. 

Sept.  23d— Started  early,  but  Traveled  only  10  miles  to  a  Trading 
Post  where  we  camped  being  told  there  was  no  more  grass  for  the 
distance  of  35  miles. 


534  ANNALS   OP    IOWA 

Sept.  24th — This  Morning  we  started  expecting  a  Desert  of  35 
miles  but  after  Traveling  16  miles  were  agreeably  disappointed  at 
finding  good  grass  where  we  camped  rather  early  in  the  afternoon. 

Sept.  25th — After  Traveling  4  miles  we  left  the  river  and  Traveled 
12  miles  over  a  Mountain  coming  to  the  river  again  at  the  lower  end 
of  a  small  valey.  Traveled  up  the  valey  3  miles  and  camped,  having 
good  grass  and  water.  Same  warm  springs  in  this  Valey.  Traveled 
19  miles  to  day. 

Sept.  26th — Traveled  5  miles  over  a  low  ridge  into  what  is  called 
Carson  Valey.  Then  12  miles  up  the  Valey  and  camped  near  the 
Mormon  Station,  having  Traveled  17  miles  to  day.  At  this  place 
there  is  a  Log  Cabin  occupied  by  some  Traders.  A  high  Mountain 
is  on  our  right  covered  with  large  Pine  Timber.  Some  Gold-Diggers 
are  said  to  be  at  work  on  the  other  side  of  the  river. 

Sept.  27th — Traveled  10  miles  and  camped  near  the  head  of  Car 
son  Valey  where  we  remained  till  the  afternoon  of  the  29th  for  the 
purpose  of  cuting  hay  for  the  Teams  in  crossing  the  Mountains.  The 
best  Springs  I  have  ever  seen  are  on  Carson  Valey. 

Sept.  29th — Started  in  the  afternoon.  Traveled  4  miles  and 
camped  at  the  head  of  the  Valey. 

Sept.  30th — After  Traveling  5  miles  we  came  to  where  the  road 
turns  to  the  right  into  a  large  Kanyon  through  which  it  passes  for 
7  miles.  This  part  of  the  road  is  much  the  worst  we  have  Traveled 
over  since  leaving  home,  we  reached  the  head  of  the  Kanyon  a  little 
before  sundown  and  after  going  about  a  mile  further  camped  in 
a  small  Valey  having  Traveled  13  Miles  to  day. 

October  1st — Traveled  7  miles  up  the  same  creek  which  runs 
through  the  Kanyon  and  camped  a  short  distance  to  the  right  of  the 
road. 

October  2d — After  Traveling  3  miles  we  came  to  a  small  Lake 
where  the  road  comes  to  the  Mountain.  This  Lake  is  by  some  called 
the  Red-Lake  though  this  name  is  more  generally  applied  to  another 
Lake  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mountain.  This  Mountain  is  a  ridge 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  very  steep  we  crossed  it  without  much 
difficulty  and  reached  the  Valey  on  the  western  side  in  the  after 
noon  where  we  encamped  close  to  the  Bed-Lake.  We  traveled  about 
9  miles  to  day. 

October  3d — This  day  we  crossed  the  main  ridge  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada.  This  Mountain  is  not  so  steep  as  the  one  we  crossed  yes 
terday,  but  higher  being  5  miles  by  the  road  from  the  Base  to  the 
Summit.  There  was  some  snow  near  the  Top  but  none  in  the  road. 
We  reached  the  Summit  about  noon.  And  having  Traveled  6  miles 
down  the  Western  Slope  we  camped  at  a  Small  Creek  in  Rock 


CROSSING  THE  PLAINS  IN    1850  535 

Valey.     This  creek  we  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  head  branches  of 
the  Cosumnes  or  Macosma.    We  Traveled  about  11  miles  to  day. 

October  4th — After  Traveling  6  miles  we  came  to  a  place  called 
Tragedy-Springs  from  three  men  having  been  killed  there  by  the 
Indians;  from  ah  inscription  on  a  tree  close  by  they  were  killed 
on  the  night  of  the  27th  of  June  1848.  Their  names  were  Daniel 
Browett,  Ezra  H.  Allen  and  Henderson  Cox.  They  are  all  buried  in 
one  Grave  under  a  pile  of  Stones.  After  Traveling  2  miles  further 
we  came  to  a  Trading  Post  about  noon  where  we  camped  having 
come  8  miles  to  day.  A  young  man  from  Henry  County,  named 
Allen  Melton  died  at  this  place  during  the  night. 

October  5th — After  Traveling  7  miles  we  came  to  the  Leek- 
Springs  about  noon.  Then  11  miles  further  to  Camp-Creek  a  branch 
of  the  Macosma.  We  Traveled  18  miles  to  day. 

October  6th — This  morning  after  Traveling  6  miles  we  came  to 
a  Trading-Post  where  Dr.  Bell  Sold  his  Wagon  and  Team  reserv 
ing  the  use  of  them  to  Weaver-Town.  We  Traveled  9  miles  further 
and  Camped  at  another  Trading-Post  having  come  15  miles  to  day. 

October  1th — This  morning  we  started  early  and  about  noon  came 
to  Some  Trading-Posts  at  Pleasant  Valey  (12  miles)  in  the  afternoon 
we  traveled  10  miles  further  arrived  at  Weavertown  about  dark. 
Having  come  22  miles  to  day.  Here  our  journey  ends  for  the 
present  after  having  Traveled  according  to  our  calculations  2200 
miles  since  leaving  home  the  greater  part  of  the  way  through  an 
uninhabited  Country.  After  having  been  on  the  road  141  days. 
Weavertown  which  is  some  times  called  Weberville  is  situated  on 
Weaver  or  Weber  Creek  a  branch  of  the  American  river  8  miles 
west  of  Placerville  (Commonly  called  Hangtown)  and  50  miles 
East  of  Sacramento  City. 

Weavertown  and  Ringold  may  properly  be  called  the  same  vilage. 
Though  the  eastern  part  which  is  first  entered  on  the  emigrant  road 
is  called  Ringold  and  the  lower  part  Weavertown. 


COLONIZATION  MEETING.  A  meeting  of  the  State  Coloniza 
tion  Society  will  be  held  this  (Friday)  evening,  at  the  Supreme 
Court  Room,  in  the  Capitol,  at  7  o'clock.  Judge  Hall,  of 
Burlington,  Governor  Lowe,  and  others  are  expected  to  ad 
dress  the  meeting.  By  order  of  the  executive  committee. 
Samuel  Storrs  Howe,  Cor.  Sec'y-  Tri-Weekly  State  Journal 
(Des  Moines),  Feb.  26,  1858. 


ANNALS    OF   IOWA 

HANDLING  THE  PANIC  OF  1907. 

BY    A.    C.    MILLER. 

Late  Saturday  evening,  October  26,  1907,  word  reached 
two  or  three  of  the  bankers  of  Des  Moines  through  a  private 
source  in  Chicago,  that  the  banks  of  that  city  on  the  follow 
ing  Monday  morning,  would  suspend  currency  payments  and 
for  a  time,  at  least,  would  only  honor  drafts  drawn  on  them 
for  balances  on  deposit  with  them,  through  the  Clearing 
House  Association  of  Chicago.  New  York,  at  this  time,  was 
practically  on  a  Clearing  House  basis,  so  it  therefore  became 
necessary  for  the  banks  of  Des  Moines  to  protect  their  cur 
rency  reserve  by  a  similar  action. 

The  officers  and  directors  of  the  various  banks  were  noti 
fied  Sunday  morning,  October  27,  1907,  to  attend  a  meeting 
called  for  10:00  o'clock  at  the  Des  Moines  Savings  Bank 
rooms.  This  meeting  was  attended  by  practically  all  of  the 
officers  of  every  bank  in  the  city  and  was  in  session  for  sev 
eral  hours.  At  this  meeting,  the  attorneys  who  were  present 
to  advise  us,  were  instructed  to  prepare  Articles  of  Agree 
ment  and  have  them  ready  Monday  morning  to  be  signed 
by  the  officers  of  the  various  banks,  members  of  the  Clearing 
House  Association.  A  copy  of  this  agreement  together  with 
the  officers  who  executed  the  same  is  as  follows : 

We,  the  undersigned  Banks  of  the  City  of  Des  Moines, 
Iowa,  members  of  the  Des  Moines  Clearing  House  Associa 
tion,  do  hereby  agree  each  with  the  other  and  with  the  said 
Des  Moines  Clearing  House  Association  and  the.  Clearing 
House  Committee  of  said  Association,  to  abide  by  and  con 
form  to  all  the  rules  of  said  Association,  including  the  fol 
lowing  rules: 

1.  That  a  resolution  of  the  form  heretofore  adopted  by  this 
Association,  relating  to  the  manner  of  issuing  Clearing  House 
certificates,  and  securing  the  same  and  pledging  the  credit  of 
all  of  the  banks,  members  of  this  Association,  and  for  the 
security  of  all  Clearing  House  certificates  issued  by  the  As 
sociation,  be  passed  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  each  of  the 
said  members  of  this  Association,  and  a  certified  copy  thereof 
be  sent  to  the  Secretary  of  this  Association. 


C.  J.  A.  ERICSON  31 


Senator  Ericson's  cherished  desire  to  add  to  his  extended 
travels  the  cruise  around  the  world,  referred  to  in  the  above 
extracts,  was  gratified,  when,  on  July  30,  1910,  he  reached 
his  home  in  Boone,  having  left  the  January  previous.  Taken 
suddenly  ill  the  evening  of  August  2d,  three  days  following 
his  return,  in  spite  of  medical  aid,  he  died  Sunday  morning, 
August  7,  1910.  So  closed  the  career  of  one  whose  Christian 
character  has  made  the  world  better;  one  who  enjoyed  the 
esteem  and  love  of  all  who  knew  him,  and  of  whom  it  can 
be  said,  as  some  one  has  so  beautifully  expressed  it  : 

"To  look  into  some  eyes 

teaches  us  faith  — 
They  are  so  true; 
The  sound  of  some  voices 

lessens  pain 
Which  is  life's  due; 
The  touch  of  some  hands 

helps  us  live 
Our  whole  lives  through." 


32 


ANNALS  OF   IOWA 


JOURNAL  OF  A.  W.  HARLAN  WHILE  CROSSING  THE 
PLAINS  IN  1850. 

A  JOUKNAL  OF  CALLIFORNIA  BOUND  IN   COMPANY  WILBURN  WILSON, 
JAMES  WILSON,  MICHAEL  DUST  &  A.  W.   HARLAN.1 

1850 

Wed  May  1st        left   Athens   Mo.   11   o'clock   A.   M.   &   camped   at 
Irvine    Wilsons.      Made    about    12    miles  12 

Thur  May  2nd     traveled    12    miles    &    camped    at    Wm    Wriggles 
worths  12 


Fri  3rd 
Sat  4th 

Sun  5th 

Mon  6th 
Tues  7th 


traveled  12  miles  &  camped  at  Freezes  (?) 


12 


traveled  17  miles  &  camped  1%  miles  west  of 
Drakesvilles,  one  yoke  of  oxen  ran  away,  snowing 
next  morning  17 

traveled  about  15  miles  and  camped  on  a  branch 
of  Soap  Creek,  the  best  grass  that  we  have  seen, 
a  white  frost  &  ice  %  in  next  m  15 

lay  by  all  day.  The  wind  blew  a  gale  and  rain 
came  on  at  night 

a  drizling  rain  until  9  o'clock  A.  M.  we  then 
started,  the  wind  blowed  brisk  &  cooll.  traveled 
over  beautiful  rolling  rich  prearie.  took  the  left 
hand  at  Dodges  point,  went  three  miles  further 
and  camped  at  the  goose  pond  on  Chariton. 
rained  at  night,  made  23  m.  frosted  23 

we  traveled  12  miles  over  beautiful  rich  prearie 
&  camped  on  a  small  branch  of  Chariton.  grass 
scarce  a  white  frost  next  morning  and  all  the 
mud  on  the  waggon  wheels  froze  hard  12 


Word  Harlan  was  one  of  the  best  known  pioneers  of  south 
eastern  Iowa,  having  arrived  at  Fort  Des  Moines  (now  Montrose)  as  a 
servant  in  1834.  Engaged  in  merchandising  at  Keosauqua  in  1837,  set 
tled  on  the  Half  Breed  tract  and  acted  as  the  local  agent  of  Charles 
Mason,  emigrated  to  California  during  the  gold  rush,  served  from  the 
day  of  the  battle  of  Athens  when  he  was  fifty-one  years  of  age  for  nearly 
four  years  in  the  Union  Army  in  the  Twenty-first  Regiment  Missouri 
Infantry,  returned  to  his  farm  near  Croton  and  remained  an  active  partic 
ipant  and  intelligent  witness  of  events  until  his  death  in  his  one  hun 
dredth  year  on  the  30th  day  of  April,  1911. 


Wed  8th 


THE  A.  W.   HARLAN  JOURNAL 


33 


Thur  9th 


Fri   10th 


May  Sat  llth 


Sund   12th 


Mond  ISth 


Tues  14th 


traveled  10  miles  and  stopped  on  the  open  prearie. 
boiled  the  tea  kettles  with  rosin  weeds.  10  o'clock 
at  night  all  our  cattle  broek  from  the  waggon 
to  the  N.  W.  we  stopped  them  in  good  time,  cold 
North  wind  at  night,  slight  frost  10 

we  traveled  about  12  miles  on  the  main  road 
to  Garden  Grove  then  went  4  miles  of  from  the 
road  down  the  creek  to  find  grass  for  our  cattle  12 
here  William  Allen  of  Lee  County  Iowa  turned 
back  &  Alfred  Allen  joined  Lapsleys  crew,  put 
in  two  yoke  of  oxen  making  5  men  and  6  yoke 
of  oxen  to  one  waggon 

took  up  a  ride  without  any. road,  in  about  5  miles 
struck  the  road  and  traveled  20  miles  &  camped 
on  a  small  stream  that  I  supposed  ran  into  the 
Des  Moines,  Squaw  creek  of  3  rivers,  roads  dry 
and  dusty — a  strong  wind  all  day  from  the  N 
West  20 

grass  being  scarce  we  yoked  up  &  traveled  about 
3  miles,  fell  in  with  Hines.  stopped  on  a  small 
brook.  The  grass  rather  poor,  we  will  keep  the 
sabbath  the  ballance  of  the  day. — But  Lapsleys 
team  came  along  and  we  followed  on  about  10 
miles  further  in  all.  13  m  to  day  &  camped  on 
a  small  branch  of  Grand  river  13 

this  day  our  road  lay  over  very  rolling  prearie 
the  points  thin  and  almost  covered  with  red 
granite  even  where  there  had  been  no  wash,  we 
made  about  7  miles  headway  though  we  have 
traveled  10.  passed  through  Pisgah,  a  mormon 
settlement  on  one  branch  of  Grand  River  consist 
ing  of  some  50  or  60  miserable  huts  &  turned 
down  the  river  about  a  mile  to  graze,  weather 
hot  roads  dusty  &  grass  wilted  7 

we  took  the  plainest  road,  it  had  been  made  by 
teams  turning  off  for  grass — though  it  was  the 
wrong  road— we  lost  4  miles  by  it.  our  road  today 
lay  over  very  rolling  though  rich  prearie.  a  great 
many  teams  in  sight  winding  over  the  prearie 
hills  and  looking  over  this  vast  expanse  of 
prearie  &  beholding  the  energy  of  our  people  I 
look  forward  to  the  time  that  it  will  all  be  sub 
dued,  fenced  with  wire  and  hedges  and  every 


34  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

farmer  will  have  his  own  chemical  aparatus — 
and  with  a  little  manuel  labour — burn  water  for 
fuel — we  have  crossed  the  last  branch  of  Grand 
river — made —  13  m 

Wed  15th  To    day    our   road    has    been    over    gently    rolling 

prearie,  the  swales  deep  &  muddy  the  axels  of 
the  waggon  often  dragging  in  the  mud.  seaps  or 
springs  along  the  sloughs — stock  water  will  al 
ways  be  plenty  and  good  both  winter  and  sum 
mer,  wells  could  be  got  anywhere  almost,  trav 
eled  20  miles  and  crossed  one  branch  of  the  Nod- 
doway  River  and  turned  of  a  half  mile  and  then 
drove-  to  grass  in  20 

Thur  16th  we    left    our    encampment    on    the    East    fork    of 

Noddoway.  crossed  the  middle  fork  in  5  miles — 
and  in  15  m  more  encamped  on  the  west  fork. 
20  miles  in  all  20 

rolling  prearie,  rich  sandy  soil,  water  plenty, 
grass  growing  better.  The  wind  blew  a  hurri 
cane  all  day.  the  dust  flew  like  the  prearie  on 
fire,  the  wild  plum  bushes  just  in  bloom,  one 
of  our  oxen  was  snake  bit  in  the  morning,  an 
old  settler  says  there  has  been  no  rain  for  6 
weeks 

Fri  nth  this   morning   our   snake  bit  ox   was   to   lame    to 

carry  the  yoke,  we  therefore  had  to  drive  him 
single,  we  left  the  Noddoway,  in  about  7  miles, 
crossed  a  branch  I  supposed  to  be  the  Nishna- 
botany.  in  9  miles  further  we  cross  quite  mill 
stream — The  E  P  of  Noddoway.  here  we  fell  in 
with  the  travel  from  Raccoon — forty  waggons  in 
sight  at  a  time,  went  2  miles  out  in  the  prearie 
&  camped,  traveled  in  all  about  18  miles  18 

Sat  18th  we  left  our  prearie  encampment,   crossed  several 

small  streams  and  the  west  or  main  branch  of 
the  Nishnebotany,  then  went  2  miles  out  in  the 
prearie  to  camp — in  all —  18  m 

The  wind  blew  strong  from  the  North,  here  an 
old  settler  says  there  has  been  no  rain  for  7 
weeks — very  dusty.  Rich  rolling  prearie,  water 
plenty— seaps  or  springs  along  all  the  branches — 
danger  of  cattle  mireing 


THE  A.  W.   HARLAN  JOURNAL 


35 


Sund   19th  this  day  we  crossed  several  small  streams — Silver 

creek,  a  few  mormons  liveing  there — traveled 
about  15  miles  15 

rich  rolling  prearie,  water  plenty — today  we  saw 
the  Missouri  River  and  those  peculiar  knobs  of 
clay  on  top  of  the  hills  either  eaten  or  washed 
into  irregularities  hard  to  account  for.  a  hot  day, 
strong  S.  W.  wind,  a  great  thunder  storm  at 
night,  camped  on  keg  creek 

Mond   20th  we  wound  our  way  through  Carter  town  among 

the  hills  then  through  Kaneville  and  8  miles  more 
to  the  bottom — in  all —  15  m 

Those  bluffs  are  fertile  and  of  Plutonian  mecha 
nism,  in  fact  miniature  mountains  from  100-  to  300 
feet  high  covered  with  grass  and  a  few  trees  in 
the  sheltered  places,  affording  a  beautiful  pros 
pect,  today  has  been  cloudy  &  chilly  with  a  strong 
east  wind,  we  are  now  here  at  the  upper  ferry 
to  the  Bluffs,  crossed  Musquito  creek.  There  is 
no  good  grass  within  three  miles  of  Kanesville 
on  either  side 

Tues  21st  to  day  we  have  all  lay  by  waiting  for  Henshaw 

&  Rollins,  we  are  not  yet  organized  into  a  com 
pany.  I  have  spent  most  of  the  day  wandering 
over  these  Romantic  Bluffs 

Wed  22nd  we    waited    for    Henshaw    until    10    o'clock,    then 

went  to  the  ferry  4  miles,  by  being  late  others 
crowded  in  and  we  have  had  to  wait  another  day 
by  so  doing,  we  are  not  yet  organized,  we  have 
had  a  great  rain  at  night  and  continued  until  after 
8  o'clock  this  morning,  high  wind  from  S  E  4 

Thurs  23d  it  was  afternoon  before  the  ferries  were  in  opera 

tion,  our  company  crossed  over,  traveled  6  miles 
to  a  good  camping  ground,  wood  and  plenty, 
grass  better — fine  rolling  prearie.  a  strong  S  E 
wind  all  day  6 

Fri   24th  To  day  we  crossed  Pappeau  creek  at  noon,  15  ft 

wide,  and  ferried  Elkhorn.  in  the  afternoon  went 
2%  miles  and  camped  on  a  small  creek,  trav 
eled  about  20  miles  20 
in  the  forenoon  those  cones  near  the  Missouri  on 
our  right  were  in  sight  some  distance,  bearing  a 
resemblance  to  the  Bluffs — fine  rolling  prearie — 
well  watered — we  are  now  on  the  main  plat 


36 


ANNALS  OP  IOWA 


[Platte]  bottom — a  brisk  south  wind  to  day,  all 
hands  cheerful,  we  now  consider  ourselves  fairly 
on  the  way  for  Callifornia 

Sat  25th  our  road  to  day  has  been  level  though   some  ot 

it  quite  muddy,  we  are  now  going  up  the  bottom 
of  the  Big  Platt  from  5  to  8  miles  wide,  mostly 
very  rich  but  some  of  it  sandy  and  some  of  it 
to  wet  for  cultivation,  on  our  right  several  miles 
the  highland  rises  gentle  &  beautiful  prehaps  80 
or  100  feet  high  in  all,  but  straight  ahead  there 
is  seemingly  no  end  to  dead  level,  a  part  of  the 
time  [to] day  there  has  been  timber  on  our  left 
near  the  river  and  ridges  of  sand  among  the  timber 
some  15  to  25  feet  high,  evedently  thrown  there 
by  the  water  of  the  Platt,  also  some  considerable 
ridges  of  sand  out  in  the  open  prearie.  The  Platt 
is  a  moveing  bed  of  quick  sand  of  all  depths,  & 
width  from  %  of  a  mile  wide  to  less  than  200 
yds,  with  banks  from  3  to  5  feet  high,  several 
pools  or  little  lakes  near  the  river  on  our  left 
we  have  organized  into  a  company  at  last 

16   m 

Sund  26th  To  day  we  have  traveled  about  18  miles  &  saw 

a  Pawnee  village  on  the  opposite,  side  of  the 
River— the  land  and  grass  both  good,  weather 
pleasant  and  camped  on  shell  creek,  it  was  very 
high  (&  we  pulled  our  waggons  over  by  hand  18 

On  our  left  rolled  down  the  mighty  Platt 
A   broad   sheet  of  turbid   waters 

And  still  beyond  were  hills  and  vales 
The  home  of  the  Pawnee  daughters 

On  our  right  stretched  forth  an  extensive  plain 

As  level  as  the  ocean 
The  Bluffs  beyond,  the  mirage  between 

The  hills  all  seemed  in  motion 

And  in  our  front  was  an  open  space 

With  full  scope  to  the  vision 
Here  in  the  center  still  rolling  ahead 

Was  our  split  log  division 

Mond  27th  to  day  we  have  traveled  about  18  miles  and  en 

camped  on  a  clear  lake  near  the  Platt.  this  morn 
ing  we  had  another  great  storm  of  rain  &  thunder. 
I  waded  through  water  near  %  of  a  mile,  cold 
N  W  wind  in  the  afternoon.  Last  night  I  mounted 
&  stood  guard  for  the  first  time — very  cold  this 
morning  18 


THE  A.  W..HARLAN  JOURNAL 


37 


Tues  28th  we    traveled    3    miles    to    the    Loup    fork    of   tlie 

Platt  &  ferried,  then  went  up  said  stream  6 
miles  &  camped  on  the  banks  9  m 

it  is  generally  5  or  6  hundred  yards  wide,  filled 
with  very  white  quick  sand  and  snags,  the  water 
much  clearer  than  the  main  Platt.  the  Bluffs  hack 
are  evidently  diminishing  in  height.  The  sand 
banks  show  that  this  stream  occasionally  raises 
to  a  wonderful  height 

Wed  29th  we  still  traveled  up  the  Loup  about  25  miles  with 

a  succession  of  sand  hills  on  our  left  from  30  to 
50  feet  high,  consisting  of  single  cones  and  ridges 
of  white  sand  with  some  flats  and  pools  between, 
there  is  a  similar  ridge  of  them  on  the  main 
Platt  from  40  rods  to  2  miles  wide,  then  there 
is  a  rich  valley,  of  land  between  them  in  shape 
resembling  a  sad  iron,  on  the  north  of  the  loup. 
the  hills  at  a  distance  appear  to  be  clay  with  a 
few  scattering  oak,  the  first  in  100  miles  25 

Thurs  30th  to  day  we  have  traveled  about  22  miles  between 

the  Loup  and  Main  Platt,  sometimes  very  sandy, 
some  wet  land  and  soome  gentle  rises  of  almost 
pure  sand  and  a  good  deal  of  good  land,  high 
sand  hills  on  our  left  hand  all  day.  to  night  we 
are  encamped  on  a  considerable  flat  of  good  clay 
soil  but  lots  of  sand  down  about  4  feet,  the  high 
lands  north  of  the  loup  are  visible  but  not  a 
single  stick  of  timber,  we  drink  water  out  of  a 
small  puddle  full  of  wiggle  tails  22 

Friday  31st  late  last  evening  Win  Freeman  &  McCown  came 

in  from  hunting  and  reported  a  village  of  Prearie 
Dogs  near  by.  next  morning  it  was  the  wish  of 
many  of  [us]  to  see  them,  we' went  and  killed  sev 
eral,  they  seem  to  feed  on  grass  and  roots,  we 
have  seen  many  antelopes  but  as  yet  have  killed 
none,  yesterday  and  to  day  we  have  seen  many 
Buffaloe  trails — from  5  to  15  paths  side  by  side 
very  straight  and  worn  deep  into  the  ground,  as 
yet  we  have  not  seen  any  Buffaloe.  we  traveled 
west  for  some  5  miles,  then  struck  the  Mormon 
track,  then  South  West  some  six  miles  all  through 
sand  hills,  we  then  struck  the  flats  near  the  Big 
Platte.  I  could  not  see  south  of  the  river  but  at 
5  o'clock  P.  M.  the  sand  hills  on  our  rear  were 
invisible  and  E.  W.  and  N.  as  far  as  the  eye 


38 


ANNALS  OP  IOWA 


could  extend  it  was  almost  a  perfect  level  of  rich 
black  dry  though  rather  sandy  soil,  we  are  en 
camped  near  the  Big  Platte.  Grass  is  very  good. 
I  saw  yesterday  where  some  emigrants  had  been 
mowing,  traveled  22  m 

Sat  June  1st  we  traveled  up  the  Platt  near  the  timber  and  are 
camped  in  the  edge  of  the  timber,  have  made 
about  16  miles  headway,  in  about  five  miles  we 
crossed  Wood  river,  a  pretty  mill  stream.  I  have 
seen  great  quantities  of  the  sensitive  plants  to 
day.  there  is  a  flat  or  low  bottom  near  the  river 
subject  to  overflow,  then  the  land  rises  gradually 
— sometimes  abrupt  about  20  feet,  generally  rich 
sandy  loam  from  20  inches  to  3  ft  deep,  then 
gravel  below  though  sometimes  clay  on  the  sur 
face,  in  short  I  have  this  day  seen  the  largest 
body  of  good  land  that  I  ever  saw  resembling 
the  second  bottoms  of  the  Miami  or  Whitewaters 
in  Ohio  and  Indiana.  The  Bluffs  in  the  north 
are  barely  visible  about  10  miles  distant  but 
whether  clay  or  sand  I  am  unable  to  say  16 

Sunday  2nd  to  day  we  have  all  hands  laid  by  &  overhauled 
our  loading,  in  ours  we  found  all  right  excepting 
about  10  Ib  of  bread  on  the  lower  side  of  one 
sack,  done  up  some  washing  and  John  Gray 
killed  a  hare,  some  of  the  other  companies  killed 
Buffaloes  in  our  neighbourhood,  this  is  keeping 
Sabbath  after  a  manner  on  the  first  of  the  week 
instead  of  the  seventh  as  commanded 

Mon  3rd  Started   early  and  had  not  proceeded  more  than 

a  half  mile  until  a  loose  horse  of  Mitchells  came 
galloping  up  and  frightened  a  Mr.  Mendenhalls 
team,  they  started  to  runaway — their  running 
and  the  rattling  of  the  waggon  started  others — 
it  became  contagious  and  in  half  a  minute  nine 
teams  were  under  way.  old  oxen  that  had  never 
runaway  before  sprung  to  it  like  quarter  horses, 
we  stopped  them  after  a  time,  all  well  excepting 
Bennings  team — another  team  run  against  them 
and  knocked  down  three  oxen,  one  of  their  horns 
stuck  in  the  ground  and  broke  his  neck,  two 
others  slightly  injured,  the  land  has  been  gen 
erally  very  good,  the  second  bottom  from  5  to  8 
miles  wide,  a  considerable  scope  has  been  in- 
crusted  by  salt,  salt-petre,  copperas,  etc.  and  lit- 


THE  A.  W.   HARLAN  JOURNAL 


39 


erally  torn  to  pieces  by  Buffaloes,  quite  recently 
we  passed  through  a  succession  of  prearie  dog 
villages  &  one  city,  we  have  traveled  about  20 
miles  to  day  &  cooked  our  suppers  and  breakfasts 
with  green  willow  brush,  rained  hard  all  the 
afternoon  &  most  all  night  20 

Tues  4th  The  width  of  the  valley  is  materially  deminished, 

prehaps  six  miles  wide  here,  a  portion  subject  to 
overflow,  we  have  traveled  about  14  miles  and 
camped  on  elm  creek  near  the  head  of  Grand 
island,  this  afternoon  about  2  o'clock  it  com 
menced  raining  hard  and  has  poured  down  with 
but  little  intermission  in  perfect  torrents  all 
night,  the  cattle  were  very  uneasy  all  night  re- 
quireing  additional  guarding,  a  double  cover  on 
the  waggons  but  partially  answers  the  purpose — 
our  bedding  all  wet  and  some  of  our  provisions 
also,  five  of  our  men  went  out  on  a  Buffaloe 
hunt  &  killed  one  poor  little  cow  to  poor  for  use, 
they  were  caught  in  the  rain  storm  and  did  not 
reach  our  encampment  until  11  o'clock  at  night, 
the  little  creek  on  which  we  are,  raised  about  9 
feet  perpendicular,  there  is  no  end  seemingly  to 
the  prearie  dogs  14 

Wed  5th  we    have    had    a    drizling   rain    all    day    &    conse 

quently  laid  by.  there  are  several  varieties  of 
Prickley  pear  in  this  vicinity  (and  to  me)  new 
kinds  of  grass,  weeds,  etc.  There  are  many  dead 
Buffaloe  scattered  over  the  plains.  Some  of  them 
appear  to  have  died  from  poverty  and  some  have 
been  shot  for  amusement 

Thurs    6th  our  cattle  were  inclined  to  Stampede  so  we  rolled 

out  early,  went  6  miles  to  Dry  creek,  it  lacked 
only  nine  feet  of  answering  to  its  name,  with  a 
swift  current,  we  set  stakes  &  stretched  ropes 
&  chains  across  &  built  a  bridge  of  willow  brush, 
rolled  our  waggons  over  by  hand,  swam  our 
teams  across,  by  this  time  there  was  60  other 
waggons  waiting,  we  loaned  them  our  chains, 
ropes  &  bridge  &  left,  the  running  of  a  horse  to 
day  made  4  teams  runaway — no  harm  done,  we 
could  not  get  to  the  old  road  for  sloughs  but 
have  traveled  about  12  miles  through  water  & 
grass  and  camped  in  open  prearie  without  any 
thing  to  raise  a  fire  this  morning  18 


40  ANNALS  OP  IOWA 

Fri  7th  The  country  maintains  its  beauty   in  the  valley 

here  from  6  to  10  miles  wide,  the  hills  are  get 
ting  more  sandy,  there  are  but  few  flowers  in 
bloom,  the  plains  are  filled  with  men  hunting 
stray  cattle — almost  every  company  have  had 
stampedes  &  many  waggons  broken 

Sat  8th  to  day  the  sand  hills  approach  much  nearer  the 

river,  the  country  is  getting  poorer  and  more 
broken,  there  is  only  a  few  scattering  trees  along 
the  Platt.  the  vegetation  is  all  new  to  me.  we 
have  traveled  about  20  miles,  camped  in  the 
bottom  20 

Sund  9th  this    day    we    have    [travelled]    about     22     miles 

through  poor  country,  here  the  Platt  is  about  as 
wide  as  the  Mississippi  at  New  Orleans,  but  very 
shallow,  by  the  Mormon  guide  we  here  expected  to 
find  the  last  timber  but  all  had  been  used  up  by 
others  ahead  of  us  so  we  must  go  about  200  miles 
without  any  provisions  cooked  up  yet  all  hands 
are  cheerful  22 

Mon  10th  This    day    we    have    traveled    about    21    miles    & 

crossed  the  North  Bluff  fork  for  50  yds  wide,  the 
bottoms  low  '&  wet,  the  hills  all  sand  &  broken, 
this  morning  our  hunters  came  in  loaded  with 
Buffaloe  meat  and  we  have  all  been  feasting  on 
it.  they  report  haveing  seen  many  wild  horses, 
generally  fine  steeds,  one  especially  a  black  stal 
lion,  as  something  extra  he  came  near  them  at 
first  then  left  with  the  speed  of  the  wind,  those 
sand  hills  are  almost  covered  with  Buffaloe, 
horses,  antelope,  Hares,  wolves,  lizzards  &  terra 
pins  and  could  be  made  to  produce  cottonwood 
&  Black  locust  timber  21 

Tues  llth  To  day  the  Platt  has  looked  more  like  a  common 

river  running  alternately  from  Bluff  to  Bluff,  the 
bottoms  generally  low  and  wet.  Our  road  has 
been  mud  and  sand  hills,  the  sand  frequently  six 
inches  deep,  traveled  about  21  m 

Wed  12th  This  morning  a  large  herd  of  Buffaloe  were  quietly 

grazeing  in  the  bottom  near  our  encampment  & 
others  on  the  hills,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river 
there  is  a  lime  Stone  Bluff  (the  first  rock  I  have 


THE  A.  W.  HARLAN  JOURNAL  41 

seen  since  we  left  Pizgah  in  Iowa)  There  was  a 
respectable  number  of  cedar  trees  growing  among 
the  rocks.  The  country  here  changes  its  appear 
ance,  limestone  appears  on  the  north  side,  the 
Bottoms  high  &  sandy,  the  river  is  much  nar 
rower,  say  600  yds,  with  but  few  isleands.  this 
evening  L.  B.  Mitchell  &  Win  Philips  came  in 
loaded  with  Buffaloe  meat.  I  saw  roses  in  Bloom, 
we  have  traveled  about  20  miles 

Thurs  13th  to  day  we  crossed  Castle  Creek  50  yds  wide,    the 

bluffs  on  the  S  Side  of  Platte  still  continue  rocky 
with  a  few  scattering  cedar  bushes,  the  rocks  show 
on  the  N  side  occasionally,  we  passed  the  Noted 
lone  tree,  a  large  cedar  with  most  of  the  limbs 
cut  off,  the  body  much  mutilated  with  names  cut 
and  penciled,  one  island  with  cedars  of  good  size 
growing  on  it.  I  daily  take  my  sack  to  gather 
Buffaloe  chips  as  the  Israelites  did  the  Manna. 
Grass  is  becomeing  very  poor,  traveled  19  m 

Fri  14th  I  examined  the  rocks  on  the  N  Side  of  the  river, 

found  some  bastard  limestone  but  mostly  soft  sand 
stone  scarce  deserving  the  name,  all  of  them 
worthless  as  the  land  around  them,  this  evening 
some  timber  appears  on  top  of  the  bluff  south  side, 
probably  pine,  the  road  for  the  last  hundred 
miles  has  been  strewed  with  wagon  irons,  cooking 
Stoves  etc.  traveled  21  m 

Sat  15th  this  morning  I  left  camp  before  the  teams  to  take 

a  ramble  over  the  cobble  hills,  they  consist  of 
cones  of  rocks  of  various  kinds  almost  covered 
with  gravel  &  sand  and  look  like  they  were  one 
hundred  thousand  years  old.  the  word  desert 
would  form  but  a  poor  Idea  of  their  Sterility,  yet 
there  were  many  flowers  blooming  among  them. 
I  had  a  view  of  chimney  rock  some  20  miles  dis 
tant,  (it  was  33  miles)  I  saw  several  Bumble 
bees  but  no  honey  bees.  I  also  saw  the  largest  ants 
by  1-3  that  I  ever  saw,  also  saw  a  new  species  of 
ant  with  heads  &  jaws  3  times  as  large  as  usual, 
they  always  carry  gravel  instead  of  dirt,  we 
have  traveled  19  miles  to  day  &  camped  on  the 
river  bank  among  good  grass  19 


42  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

Sund  16th  we  have  kept  Sabbath  most  of  the  day  and  traveled 

this  afternoon  10  miles  and  are  encamped  in  full 
view  of  chimney  rock  so  often  described,  the 
country  at  a  distance  has  quite  a  broken  ap 
pearance,  there  are  many  Isolated  Masses  of 
rocks  in  sight  in  the  South  at  great  distance,  re 
semble  the  ruins  of  Splendid  edifices  and  as  we 
travel  they  gradually  change  their  resemblance 
from  one  building  to  another,  we  have  tolerably 
good  grass  to  night  10  m 

Mond   17th  This   morning  as  the   fog  had   partially      cleared 

away  we  had  a  splendid  view  of  a  group  of  isolated 
rocks  some  23  miles  west  of  us  representing  a 
magnificent  City  in  ruins  with  streets  and  all  its 
appendages,  when  the  fog  had  entirely  cleared 
away  they  were  out  of  view  for  some  miles,  then 
in  sight  again,  distance  lent  enchantment  to  the 
view  but  now  we  are  near  them  they  an  ugly  mass 
of  ill  shaped  rocks.  Philips  horse  got  the  saddle 
under  her  belly,  broke  and  run,  frightened  the 
oxen  and  seven  teams  ranaway  at  once,  we  trav 
eled  over  some  midling  land  this  afternoon,  trav 
eled  about  20  miles  &  camped  in  good  grass  20 

Tues  18th  we  have  traveled  our  20  miles,  passed  Scotts  Bluffs, 

the  weather  in  morning  very  cold,  rain,  hail  and 
snow,  at  1  o'clock  very  hot.  rain  in  the  evening, 
miserable  poor  Country  except  where  the  ground 
is  nearly  level  with  the  river  and  then  the  grass  is 
good,  some  few  willows  now  begin  to  appear  on 
the  islands,  even  here  log  chains  are  not  worth 
picking  up,  our  company  haveing  passed  four 
of  them  &  left  them  lying  there  20 

Wed  19th  to   day  we  have  passed  many  sand  hills  on  our 

right,  totally  destitute  of  vegetation,  very  soft, 
white  &  clean,  we  have  passed  many  cottonwood 
stumps  but  no  timber,  the  Black  hills  are  now 
in  full  view,  we  have  I  might  say  no  grass  to 
night. 

The  rugged  Black  hills  now  rise  in  view 

Beyond  are  snow  capped  mountains 
We'll  leave  this  desert  to  welcome  you 
For  sake  of  your  cooling  fountains       19. 


THE  A.  W.  HARLAN  JOURNAL 


43 


Tfiurs  20th  To  day  we  have  traveled  about  11  miles  and  camped 

near  fort  Larimie  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  River, 
scarcely  any  grass,  the  ferry  has  been  cut  loose 
&  lost,  on  tomorrow  they  expect  to  have  a  new 
boat  in  operation,  there  are  pretty  conclusive 
reports  of  cholerea  on  the  S  Side  of  the  River 
&  at  the  fort,  there  are  many  waggons  near  and 
hourly  increasing — many  have  gone  up  the  river 
to  try  finding  a  new  route,  we  have  ha,d  a  severe 
rain  >&  hail  storm  to  day  14 

496  m 

The  Mormon  guide  makes  the  distance     522  miles 

496 

26  miles 

less  by  my  reckoning  (we  saved  some  in  ferrying 
loup  fork) 

Fri  21st  we  are  still  lying  by  waiting  to  ferry,     they  are 

very  slow  about  business.  The  Platt  here  is  about 
400  yds  from  bank  to  bank,  pretty  well  filled  with 
isleands.  runs  I  should  think  12  miles  an  hour 
at  this  stage  the  bars  are  cobble  stones  yet  move 
about  like  quick  sand 

Sat    22  I  strolled  about  3  miles  from  camp  on  to  a  high 

peak  to  view  the  country  hereabouts  &  the  black 
hills  in  the  distance,  every  thing  except  the  gar 
rison  buildings  looked  dilapidated  and  time  worn, 
we  have  run  the  ferry  all  night  &  crossed  6  wag 
gons  before  our  15  which  makes  21  in  all.  dis 
tance  about  250  yds  over  12  ft  water,  a  current  of 
fifteen  miles  an  hour,  and  but  few  of  us  have 
closed  our  eyes,  we  are  at  fort  Laramie  on  Sunday 
morning  June  23  our  cattle  yet  to  swim 

Sund   23rd  left    Laramie,    traveled    over    four    ridges    in    10 

miles,  came  to  a  cove,  or  sink  of  considerable  ex 
tent  of  tolerable  grass,  went  on  to  the  warm 
springs  &  camped  &  drove  our  cattle  back  to  the 
cove,  the  guard  went  to  sleep  and  lost  80  head  of 
them,  we  have  found  all  of  them  again.  These 
warm  springs  are  in  the  bed  of  a  dry  creek  it 
treaks  up  in  white  sand  and  runs  of  quite  a 
creek  it  is  but  little  warmer  than  river  water 

12  ? 


44 
Mond  24 


Tues  25th 


Wed  26 


Thurs  27th 


ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

we  left  the  warm  springs,  traveled  over  a  country 
of  cobble  hills,  crossed  the  beds  of  several  dry 
streams,  found  a  little  of  stinking  water  in  Bit- 
terwood  creek  so  named  from  a  species  of  wil 
low  growing  there  in  abundance,  we  made  a 
prearie  encampment,  no  water,  traveled  about  20 
miles,  this  morning  the  weather  was  clear  and 
warm,  at  10  the  fog  commenced  accumulateing  on 
the  top  of  Laramie  peak  and  soon  grew  to  a 
thunder  storm,  this  is  the  first  time  I  have  seen 
the  sight,  the  grazeing  very  poor.  20 

This  morning  we  left  early,  went  seven  miles  to 
horse  creek,  found  plenty  of  good  water,  grazed 
2  hours  without  grass,  yoked  up  and  went  18 
miles  further  to  Labontea  creek,  then  drove  the 
cattle  1  mile  down  the  creek  to  some  grass, 
(water  good),  the  road  has  been  horrible  bad  to 
day.  the  clouds  hung  on  laramie  peake  nearly 
all  day.  at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  sun 
shone  out,  we  had  a  splendid  view  of  the  hillyes 
country  entirely  all  in  beautiful  confusion,  to 
day  we  found  the  horns  of  the  mountain  Sheep 
and  also  the  mountain  goat,  elk  horns  are  be 
coming  plenty — we  had  seen  but  few  since  leaveing 
the  Council  Bluffs,  our  whole  days  travel  25  ni 

To  day  we  lay  by  all  day.  the  hills  in  this 
vicinity  present  pretty  conclusive  evidence  of 
haveing  at  sometime  been  burned  and  am  or' 
opinion  that  it  is  from  such  places  in  times  of 
great  rains  and  of  overflowing  the  bottoms  has  left 
the  deposites  of  alkalie  along  down  the  Platte. 
the  country  here  is  more  clayey  than  heretofore, 
the  foundation  seems  clay,  the  cobble  stones 
seems  to  have  been  washed  on  when  submerged  by 
water  then  the  hills  raised  by  Plutonian  agency, 
there  are  ma[n]y  old  dead  trunks  of  pines  &  old 
pine  trees  and  scarcely  any  young  pines  or  cedars 

we  traveled  over  very  broken  country  yet  we 
wound  our  way  through  almost  miraculously, 
crossed  the  Alaprelle,  a  pretty  stream,  water 
plenty,  &  went  about  1  mile  out  to  camp,  grass 
poor,  travel  20  m 


THE  A.  W.   HARLAN  JOURNAL  45 

Frid  28th  To  day  we  have  traveled  about  18  miles,  country 

poor  and  broken  in  this  vicinity,  the  crickets 
are  quite  plenty,  this  morning  I  gathered  a 
handful  of  the  blue  bloomed  perrenial  flax,  quite 
plenty,  artimesa  makes  its  appearance. 'we  crossed 
poosh  bosh  creek,  we  are  camped  on  deer  creek 

18 

Sat  29th  we  have  traveled  about  18  miles,  tolerable  road, 

no  grass  scarcely,  crossed  crooked  muddy  creek 
true  to  its  name,  our  catties  feet  are  much  worn 
out.  we  have  but  two  yoke  able  to  work  in  our 
team.  W.  Wilson  has  now  been  quite  sick  for  two 
days — getting  better  18 

Bund   80th  To  day  we  have  come  eight  miles  to  the  upper 

ferry  on  the  Patte  and  are  all  crossed  over'  safe 
at  $3.12  per  waggon,  our  cattle  still  to  swim,  we 
now  find  that  we  have  been  swindled  in  the  most 
rascally  manner  and  that  the  officers  of  the  gar 
rison  at  Laramie  are  concerned,  we  have  come 
the  longest  &  worst  road  on  the  poorest  feed  and 
poor  prospect  ahead  for  50  miles,  we  have  all 
agreed  to  write  to  others  comeing  not  to  cross 
the  Platte  at  all  hereafter,  no  cholerea  on  the 
road  now  8 

Monday  June  I  looked  around  on  the  wreck  of  waggons  &  other 
[July]  1st  property,  it  gave  me  serious  reflections,  by  noon  we 
had  swam  our  oxen  all  over  safe  and  was  on  the 
march,  our  road  lay  over  a  high  barren  country  of 
sand,  at  4  o'clock  I  went  on  a  high  point  to  our 
left  &  had  an  extensive  view  of  the  desert  around 
us.  some  80  or  100  miles  N.  W.  there  were  high 
mountains  and  seemed  to  be  capped  with  snow  we 
went  12  miles  &  took  a  cup  of  tea,  then  went  on  all 
night.  I  walked  day  and  night  ahead  driveing  the 
loose  stock.  I  counted  4  disabled  oxen  yet  liveing, 
14  that  had  died  recently  &  2  horses,  besides  old 
carcasses,  here  I  immagined  I  saw  the  tracks  of 
the  Elephant  but  my  eyes  were  literally  filled 
with  dust  and  sand  so  I  could  scarcely  see  the  loose 
stock,  we  are  here  at  the  willow  springs,  our 
day  &  night  travel  amounts  to  29  miles  29 

Tues  2nd  we  browsed   our  oxen  on  wild  sage  &  rue  until 

noon,  then  drove  6  miles  to  a  small  branch,  no 
grass  at  all  though  there  has  been  some,  our  cattle 


46 


Wed  3rd 


Thurs    4th 


ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

have  nothing  to  eat.  dead  oxen  are  to  plenty  to 
count  any  more.  I  suspect  the  deaths  are  mostly 
occasioned  by  drinking  alkalie  water  6 

we  yoked  up  our  famishing  cattle  &  made  about 
10  miles  headway,  then  turned  back  to  our  left  1% 
miles  to  a  spring  of  good  water,  then  drove  our 
cattle  2  miles  further  to  poor  grass —  the  sand  has 
been  generally  about  shoe  mouth  deep,  we  passed 
the  salaratus  lakes,  they  were  most  of  them  dry 
leaveing  an  incrustation  of  salaratus  on  the  ground 
&  those  nearly  dry  had  a  crust  on  top  of  the 
water  resembling  new  made  ice  very  much  10 
I  had  neglected  to  say  we  are  now  among  the 
spurrs  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  they  are  large 
Isolated  Masses  of  granite  interspersed  over  a 
sandy  plain  with  seams  running  in  every  direction. 
I  have  just  returned  from  the  top  of  one  about 
1000  feet  high,  on  a  bench  half  way  up  there 
was  round  pebles  like  a  lake  shore  peble  showing 
that  they  had  been  washed  by  waves,  near  their 
bases  there  is  great  quantities  of  burnt  or  scori 
fied  granite  showing  plainly  that  they  are  all 
from  plutonian  agency 

This  has  been  an  eventful  day  with  us.  there 
was  a  little  difference  originated  between  J.  J. 
Benning  &  Allen  of  Chequest  about  the  camping 
ground  last  night,  we  yoked  up  our  teams  this 
morning  &  started,  Benning  &  Mitchell  remaining 
behind,  5  waggons,  the  rest  came  on  to  Inde 
pendence  rock.  I  left  the  loose  stock  and  ascended, 
reached  the  summit  at  precisely  12  o'clock.  Just 
half  way  to  Callifornia  and  the  middle  of  the  19th 
century.  I  looked  at  thousands  of  names  but  did 
not  see  Mr.  Preemonts,  but  I  did  see  my  old  friends 
name,  J.  Ralston,  June  21st,  1847.  we  then  forded 
Sweet  water,  the  captain  then  told  us  the  com 
pany  was  dissolved,  we  parted  like  brothers, 
divideing  out  into  small  companies  in  order  to 
procure  grass  for  the  oxen,  we  associated  with  Mr. 
Lawrence,  Ramey  &  Robinson  from  Utica,  V.  B. 
Iowa,  the  mornings  are  warm,  the  afternoons  very 
windy  &  clouds  of  dust  aflying.  we  passed  the 
devils  gate  and  have  mad  about  13  miles  head 
way  13 


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47 


Sat  6 


Frid  5th  This  morning  we  lightened  our  load  by  leaveing 

2  axes,  1  chain,  1  yoke,  some  rosin,  some  bedding 
&  other  things  &  mad  a  cache  of  our  pork  and 
have  traveled  8  miles  &  camped  on  the  bank  of 
Sweet  water  below  the  narrows,  this  is  the  land  of 
game — Elk,  antelop  &  sage  hens  all  in  sight.  Wil- 
burn  Wilson  killed  a  fine  Antelope,  late  in  the 
evening  we  saw  at  about  2  miles  distance  2  steal 
and  runaway  with  7  horses.  8 

To  day  we  have  traveled  about  20  miles  through 
hot  sand  3  to  6  inches  deep,  and  camped  on  the 
bank  of  Sweet  water,  the  grass  on  the  plains 
is  thin  and  dried  up.  on  the  low  land  near  the 
river  it  is  about  1  inch  high  and  looks  as  bare  as 
a  Kentucky  goose  yard  20 

Sund  7th  To  day  we  traveled  about  15  miles  fording  Sweet 

water  No  2-3  &  4.  at  No.  4  we  found  gold  dust  in 
considerable  quantities  though  very  fine,  at  1 
o'clock  we  turned  to  the  left  round  a  mass  of 
rocks  and  at  once  had  a  splendid  view  of  the 
Wind  River  mountains,  the  same  I  saw 
capped  with  snow  glistening  in  the  sunshine,  we 
camp  on  Sweet  water,  grass  short  though  the 
best  we  have  had  in  a  week  15 

Moncl  8th  This  day  we  have  traveled  22  miles  over  deep  sand 

and  gravel,  the  weather  is  cold  as  November,  the 
wind  blowing  a  hurricane,  the  air  is  filled  with  fly 
ing  sand  &  salaratus.  we  passed  two  salaratus  lakes 
complete  incrusted  with  masses  of  salaratus.  we 
again  camp  on  Sweet  water,  scarcely  any  grass  22 

Tues  9th  This   morning   there  was   frost,     a  gentle  Breese 

from  the  S  W  has  blown  to  day.  the  weather 
pleasant,  our  road  has  been  very  rough  to  day. 
at  the  crossing  of  Strawberry  creek  there  was 
a  long  bank  of  snow  ten  feet  deep  and  Straw 
berries  in  bloom  within  a  few  feet  of  the  snow 
drift,  grass  short  18  m 

Wed  10th  To  day  we  have  traveled  about  10  miles  &  then, 

off  from  the  road  three  miles  to  graze  on  Sweet 
water  near  the  mountains,  there  is  plenty  of 
snow  along  the  bluff  banks  of  the  creek,  we  are 
now  along  side  of  a  mass  of  Snowy  mountains 
on  our  right,  they  are  the  same  that  I  mentioned 


48  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

twice  before.  I  first  saw  them  145  miles  distant, 
to  day  the  wind  has  blowed  hard,  our  eye  are 
filled  with  dust,  we  are  now  in  tolerable  grazeing. 
all  hands  cheerful,  my  own  feelings  seem  to  [be] 
regulated  entirely  by  the  quality  of  the  grass 
around  our  encampment.  The  Sweet  Water  is  a 
small  stream  kept  up  by  melting  snow,  generally 
60  to  80  feet  wide — the  valley  about  10  miles 
wide,  almost  entirely  a  sand  plain,  the  low  bot 
toms  from  20  to  80  rods  wide,  well  set  with  short 
dry  grass  that  is  certainly  as  nutritious  as  our 
blue  grass,  the  N.  side  of  the  mountains  that  are 
on  the  S.  side  of  the  river  are  pretty  well  tim 
bered  with  pine  about  half  way  up  the  stream, 
then  the  is  nothing  but  bar  cobble  hills  10 

Thurs  11  white   frost  this  morning,   forenoon  warm,   after 

noon  windy,  there  are  many  pretty  flowers  in 
bloom,  we  have  laid  by  all  day  &  doctored  and 
grazed  our  oxen,  our  elevation  is  so  great  that 
the  rays  of  light  from  the  sun  are  visible  all  the 
night,  horned  toads  are  plenty 

Frid  12  more  frost,     we  left  our  encampment  late  in  the 

day  &  crossed  through  the  pass,  this  appears  to 
have  been  in  some  age  of  the  world  a  mass  of 
lime  stone  interveneing  between  the  granite  forma 
tions  &  the  whole  has  been  burned,  the  lime  has 
t  •'  gradually  leached  away  &  settled  down,  forming 

these  salaratus  lakes  &  alkalie  water  &  furnish 
ing  the  material  to  support  the  coral  insects  & 
build  up  the  reefs  of  florida  and  the  west  indies, 
about  the  Pacific  Springs  the  ground  was  literally 
strewed  with  dead  cattle  &  horns,  say  100  within 
1  mile,  we  traveled  about  25  miles  and  camped 
on  Little  Sandy — there  has  been  grass,  there  is 
none  now  25 

Sat  13  we  yoked  up  our  starving  oxen,  went  8  miles  on 

to  Big  Sandy  and  then  drove  them  8  miles  back 
to  grass  towards  the  mountains,  the  country  is 
a  desert  that  has  been  all  burnt  over,  leaveing 
occasionally  Butes  of  calcined  clay,  elevated  about 
60  to  80  feet  above  the  usual  sand  plain,  there 
is  nothing  to  indicate  the  presence  of  a  running 
stream,  they  have  narrow  winding  channels 
through  the  sand  plains  8 


THE  A.  W.   HARLAN  JOURNAL 


40 


Sund   14th 


Mon  15th 


Tues  16th 


Wed  nth 


Thurs  18th 


Frid  19th 


Sat   20 


at  12  oclock  M  we  rolled  out,  our  oxen  not  quar 
ter  filled,  we  went  on  until  near  sunset,  rested  1 
hour,  then  1  hour  at  midnight  and  1  hour  at 

sunrise,  then  rolled  ahead,  at  12  M  we  reached 
Green  river  making  in  all  53  miles  in  24  hours 
without  feed,  this  is  going  on  the  atmospheric 
pressure  principle,  and  that  all  through  light 
dust  about  3  inches  deep,  as  light  as  flour  and  at 
times  entirely  hideing  the  whole  teams  and  filling 
our  eyes  &  throats,  and  scarcely  any  grass  here, 
poor  prospect  ahead  53. 

we  left  the  ferry  at  12  M  and  drove  8  miles  S  W 
on  to  a  creek  where  there  had  been  grass  (none 
now),  graves  wer  quite  thick  and  ded  cattle 
everywhere.  I  made  soop  from  the  washings  of  a 
number  of  putrid  carcasses,  the  alkalie  is  very 
thick  here  and  Elephant  tracks  have  been  growin 
more  plenty  for  the  last  300  miles  8 

we  have  spent  most  of  the  day  hunting  grass  & 
have  found  some  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
the  road  on  the  same  creek,  alkalie  is  very  plenty, 
we  have  made  about  6  miles  headway  6 

To  day  we  have  laid  by  (our  fare  is  changed) 
good  grass  for  the  oxen  and  we  have  fine  smooth 
gooseberries  for  sauce,  nearly  ripe,  &  cool  water 
to  drink  from  the  best  of  medical  springs  (sulphur 
&  oxide  of  iron)  James  Wilson  is  sick 

To  day  we  reached  the  Mountain  side  at  12  M. 
cool  springs  are  plenty  here,  we  saw  a  new  species 
of  pine  &  Columbia  root.  The  Butes  in  the  S 
pass  are  still  visible,  say  90  miles  distant.  The 
roads  are  dry  &  dusty,  we  have  traveled  about 
20  miles  the  grass  is  very  scarce,  at  a  distance 
from  the  road,  we  have  again  fell  in  with  Benning, 
Mitchell  &  company  20 

This  day  we  have  traveled  about  18  miles,  the 
road  is  as  rough  as  can  well  be  imagined,  we 
nooned  on  a  large  creek,  there  is  many  groves 
of  quakeing  asp  along  here  &  some  small  spots  of 
good  soil  but  the  climate  is  to  cold  &  dry,  yet  vege 
tation  seems  to  flourish,  the  snowdrop  is  now  in 
bloom  &  many  other  pretty  flowers  and  banks  of 
snow  all  about,  above  and  below,  we  are  near  the 


50  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

summit  east  of  Bear  River,  the  best  of  water  & 
grass  midling.  we  had  this  afternoon  a  fine  shower, 
a  strange  occurrence  here  18 

Sund    21st  This   morning   at   7    oclock   the   musquitoes   were 

most  voraceous.  we  left  at  8.  we  passed  through 
a  dense  grove  of  fir  &  quaking  asp  &  soon  reached 
the  summit,  we  had  a  glorious  view  of  a  mass  of 
clouds  below  us  in  the  Bear  river  valley,  they 
soon  cleared  away  and  gave  us  a  full  view  of  the 
valley,  here  some  few  thousand  years  ago  no 
doubt  was  a  vast  chasm  of  lake  that  burned  with 
fire  and  brimstone,  then  it  was  a  horrible  pit  of 
mirey  clay  and  poison  water,  there  is  some  mud 
and  alkalie  yet  but  thousands  of  acres  of  good 
land  well  set  in  grass  resembling  our  blue  grass 
but  more  nutritious,  such  is  the  changes  of  time 
it  will  now  soon  be  the  home  of  the  Sheep  herd 
and  the  finest  flocks  in  the  world,  traveled  about 

16  m 

Mond  22nd  we  left  our  encampment  in  Smiths  fork  of  Bear 

River  and  traveled  about  6  miles  &  stopped  to 
graze,  the  Straw  Berries  are  scare  but  ripe,  some 
service  bushes,  the  fruit  green,  musquitoes  are 
very  bad.  we  caugh[t]  a  few  Speckled  [  ] 

from  Bear  River  6 

Tues  23rd  we  went  6  miles  &  stopped  and  razzed  our  wagon 

bed  3%  feet  &  coupled  up  shorter,  then  went  14 
miles  over  the  worst  of  mountains,  crossed  many 
pretty  rivulets,  the  mountains  have  a  tolerably 
smooth  surface  pretty  well  clothed  with  grass  and 
if  there  was  timber  here  this  would  be  a  desirable 
country,  as  it  is  the  scenery  is  most  delightful, 
we  are  again  on  the  banks  of  Bear  River  20 

Wed  24th  we  left  our  encampment  near  Big  timber  &  Great 

Bear  Lake,  the  lake  is  but  a  goose  pond,  the  Big 
timber  is  few  Bitterwood  1  foot  in  diameter  and 
about  40  feet  high,  we  have  traveled  16  miles  & 
crossed  many  pretty  mountain  Brooks  and  eat 
yellow  and  red  currants,  the  yellow  are  tart  and 
tolerably  good,  the  red  ar  puckery  &  poor  things. 
the  weather  is  pleasant  and  the  scenery  delightful 

16 


THE  A.  W.  HARLAN  JOURNAL 


51 


Thurs  25th  To    day   we   have   traveled   about   18   miles   down 

Bear  river,  the  Bottoms  are  not  so  handsome 
but  there  is  a  fair  supply  of  timber  near  the  top 
of  the  mountains  18 

we  here  met  with  a  caravan  of  Americans,  French 
half  breeds,  Indians,  of  two  or  three  kinds,  with 
mules,  horses,  oxen  &  wagons — squaws  and  white 
women,  with  a  portable  government  forge,  some 
government  waggons,  and  no  two  could  give  the 
same  account  of  themselves,  in  short  they  was  a 
pack  of  whores,  rogues  &  robbers,  about  50  per 
sons  &  100  horses 

Frid  26  This  day  we  passed  the  celebrated  Soda  Springs 

So  ofter  described  by  others,  here  was  another 
motley  crew,  we  have  taken  the  fort  Hall  road, 
traveled  about  15  miles  and  are  camped  at  a  big 
soda  spring 

Sat  27th  To  day  we  traveled  about  9  miles  in  the  fore 

noon  &  laid  by  the  ballance  of  the  day  on  account 
of  Mr.  Lawrence  being  sick,  our  course  is  to  the 
N.  W.  up  a  valley  of  some  6  or  7  miles  in  width  in 
which  there  is  several  extinct  craters  of  volcanoes 
that  appears  to  have  bursted  up  after  the  general 
burning  of  the  country  had  ceased,  there  is  con 
siderable  portion  of  the  valley  quite  rich  and  pro 
duces  a  considerable  quantity  of  flax  spontaneous 
ly,  blue  bloomed  and  perrenial.  the  grazeing  is 
good,  water  plenty  9 

Sund   28th  To   day   at   1   o'clock   Lawrences   waggon   was   up 

set  in  3  ft  water  in  the  Bear  river  valley,  at  6 
o'clock  we  passed  the  ridge  and  had  a  fine  view 
of  the  valley  of  the  Columbia,  this  evening  we 
ar  camped  on  its  waters,  we  have  traveled  about 
18  miles,  water  plenty,  grass  midling  18 

Mond  29th  This   day  we  have  traveled  about  18   miles,    the 

road  is  pretty  level  but  the  dust  is  from  1  to  6 
inches  deep  with  the  exception  of  small  portions 
of  coarse  grass  near  the  creeks,  all  the  rest  is 
dried  up  and  looks-  as  bad  as  the  grass  does  in 
Iowa  in  the  month  of  November  18 

Tues  30th  This  day  we  have  traveled  about  16  miles  passing 

Port  Hall,  it  is  situated  in  the  middle  of  an 
extensive  plain  near  the  Junction  of  several  small 
streams  with  the  main  branch  of  Lewis  River. 


52 


ANNALS  OP  IOWA 


it  is  all  mud  even  to  the  roof,  we  stopped  in  the 
evening  as  usual  but  the  musquitoes  were  so  bad 
our  cattle  became  so  uneasy  that  we  yoked  and 
traveled  two  miles  to  where  they  were  not  quite 
so  bad.  M.  Dust  &  J.  Wilson  are  both  getting 
about  16 

Wed  81st  The   first    thing   this    morning   was    to    raise    all 

our  loading  on  top  the  waggon  beds  &  cross  Raft 
river,  some  50  yds  wide,  we  crossed  all  safe,  then 
went  about  100  yds  and  down  steep  bank  into 
a  mud  hole,  our  load  being  on  top  all  slid  for 
ward  into  1  foot  water  &  deep  mud  below,  lost 
part  of  our  sugar,  the  rest  all  muddy  but  not 
seriously  injured,  the  dust  has  been  horrible  to 
day,  we  have  traveled  about  17  miles  17 

Thurs  Aug  1st  after  one  mile  travel  we  came  to  the  American 
falls  of  Lewis  R.  here  the  river  is  nearly  as  large 
as  the  Des  Moine.  it  is  precipitated  over  and 
through  a  ledge  of  rocks,  falling  about  40  feet 
in  100  yds,  dashing  the  water  into  foam  and  form 
ing  the  rainbow  above  and  still  a  succession  of 
Rapids  for  several  miles  below,  it  is  a  splendid 
sight,  traveled  about  16  m 

Frid  2nd  Today    we    have    left    Lewis    River    and    traveled 

about  11  miles  and  camped  on  Cassia  Creek,  the 
grazeing  eat  out.  we  lay  by  on  this  afternoon  on 
account  of  Lawrence'  sickness  11 

Sat  Srd  This  day  we  moved  up  the  creek  about  3  miles 

and  laid  by  and  grazed,  the  weather  is  very  hot. 
the  roads  is  extremely  dusty 

Sund  JttU  Today  we  have  travelled  up  the  creek  14  miles  and 

found  a  large  scope  of  excellent  grass  and  laid  by 
this  afternoon,  here  we  found  the  Henshaws  of 
Missouri  and  Beckley  and  Millers  of  Bonaparte 
and  have  spent  the  afternoon  in  visiting  one 
another,  all  feel  quite  cheerful  and  sanguine  in 
getting  to  California  somehow  or  other.  J.  Wil 
son  is  now  well  again  and  Mr.  Dust  is  well  ex 
cept  the  sore  eyes  14 

Mond  5th  after   traveling  about   9   miles   this   morning  our 

road  was  intersected  by  the  Hudspeth  Cut  off  and 
we  find  that  we  have  lost  no  time  by  going  by 
Port  Hall  and  our  teams  are  in  much  better  con- 


THE  A.  W.   HARLAN  JOURNAL 


53 


dition  than  those  that  went  the  cut  off.  we  are 
among  the  mountains  this  afternoon  again,  our 
days  travel  will  be  about  18  miles  18 

Tues  6th  This  morning  we  left  a  small  creek,  the  waters  of 

Lewis  River,  and  went  over  a  ridge  of  moderate 
elevation  easy  of  ascent  and  descent  and  took 
our  nooning  on  a  pretty  branch  that  runs  into 
Salt  Lake,  here  is  small  portions  of  land  suscepti 
ble  of  cultivation,  there  are  a  few  scrubby  Cedars 
from  6  to  10  feet  high  on  the  mountain  sides  and 
small  parcels  of  snow —  This  afternoon  we  have 
been  among  Rocky  Mountains  worthy  of  the  name 
indeed,  Stupendous  Magnificent  and  Sublime!  our 
road  is  good,  seeming  to  wind  its  way  through 
Merracalously  and  we  have  traveled  about  23 
miles  23 

Wedns  7th  This  morning  at  9  o'clock  when  on  the  summit  of 

a  mountain  I  had  an  extensive  view  of  a  broken 
Mountainous  country  far  to  the  west,  and  still 
beyond  at  a  great  distance  I  saw  an  extensive 
range  of  snow  capped  mountains  looming  above 
the  rest  and  glistening  in  the  sunshine 
(I  have  left  a  blank  to  fill  hereafter)  we  are  en 
camped  on  Goose  creek.  I  suppose  it  to  be  a  tribu 
tary  of  Lewis  river,  our  road  has  been  extremely 
rough,  our  days  travel  about  18  miles  18 

Thurs    8th  we    nooned    on    Goose    creek    on    short    grazeing, 

then  rolled  on  through  a  narrow  chasm  in  the 
mountain  side  of  scorified  bassalt  piled  up  in 
high  masses  on  either  side,  then  we  came  into  an 
open  pass,  got  some  supper  at  night  and  then 
rolled  on  and  came  to  some  large  springs  at 
night,  there  was  no  grass  and  we  still  rolled  on 
until  2  oclock  in  the  morning  and  stopped,  make- 
ing  in  all  about  33  miles  and  no  grass  yet  33 

Frid  9th  we   still   drove   on   7   miles   and   then   2   miles   off 

the  road  to  a  patch  of  wild  rye  but  no  water,  we 
then  drove  9  miles  more  and  have  good  grass  and 
water  tonight,  there  has  been  about  100  waggons 
jammed  close  together  today  16 

Sat  10th  Today    at    11    o'clock    we    passed    the    far    famed 

boiling  springs,  they  are  quite  hot  indeed  but  the 
boiling  is  produced  by  the  escape  of  gas.  they  are 
all  abot  over  near  an  acre  of  ground,  sending  off 


54 


ANNALS  OF  IOWA 


a  considerable  stream,  they  are  situated  in  a 
valley  of  considerable  extent  known  as  the  Thou 
sand  spring  valley,  yet  water  is  scarce,  it  soon 
sinks,  there  is  a  large  scope  of  land  here  sus 
ceptible  of  cultivation  though  there  is  no  chance 
for  irigation.  I  am  of  the  opinion  the  gas  from 
those  hot  springs  could  be  collected  and  conveyed 
in  pipes  so  as  to.  answer  a  small  community  here 
for  fuel  and  light,  we  are  on  the  banks  of  Kanyan 
creek  without  water  for  the  oxen  or  cooking  pur 
poses  tonight,  we  have  traveled  about  18  miles 
road  good  but  dusty 

Sund   llth  we  yoked  up  last  night  and  came  on  7  miles  to 

some  water  and  a  little  grass  and  today  we  have 
traveled  9  miles  and  lay  by  the  ballance  of  the 
day.  all  the  teams  are  pushing  ahead,  many  are 
scarce  of  provisions  and  grass  is  scarce  for  the 
teams,  we  are  now  on  the  waters  of  the  Hum- 
boldt  16 

Mond  12th  late  last  evening  there  was  many  Indians  prowl 

ing  around  and  some  40  of  them  evidently  medi 
tated  an  attack  on  4  wagons  near  by  us  but  they 
were  bluffed  off  and  the  night  passed  off  quietly, 
today  the  weather  is  fine,  the  road  excellent  and 
grass  good  and  we  have  rolled  on  about  20  miles 
and  are  encamped  on  the  Humboldt  20 

Tues  18th  This  morning  while  some  Ohioans  were  at  break 

fast  about  a  dozen  Indians  ran  off  2  of  their 
horses  and  2  oxen  they  pursued  them  and  retook 
their  stock  and  1  indian  horse  to  boot,  no  lives 
lost,  about  10  miles  below  the  Indians  killed  an 
ox.  they  have  their  signal  lights  out  every  night 
it  is  almost  as  good  as  our  Telegraph,  we  have 
come  about  23  miles  today  and  have  had  a  shower 
of  rain  23 

Wed  14th  Today  we  have  traveled  about  20  miles  down  the 

river,  frogs  are  very  numerous  and  the  Indians 
are  commiting  frequent  depredations  and  the  emi 
grants  confine  themselves  to  self  defence  only,  as 
yet  we  have  had  several  gentle  showers,  weather 
pleasant  and  feed  tolerable  20 

Thurs  15th  This   morning   our   road   was    intersected    by   one 

comeing  in  from  Salt  Lake  down  the  south  branch 
of  the  Humbolt.  the  river  then  passes  through 


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55 


several  kanyans  and  we  forded  4  times.  Indian 
depredations  are  frequent,  they  shoot  at  the  emi 
grants  from  the  crags  of  the  hills  at  a  safe  dis 
tance  for  themselves,  and  we  have  traveled  about 

12m 

Frid  16th  Early  this  morning  we  learned  that  the  Indians 

had  stolen  6  oxen  of  1  man  and  killed  all  but  one 
of  another  mans  team,  some  of  onr  men  have 
gone  to  chastise  them  but  it  is  very  much  like 
running  down  grayhounds  with  Bull  dogs,  our 
road  today  has  been  over  a  high  barren  moun 
tain  and  we  have  traveled  in  the  day  and  night 
25  miles,  the  road  is  dusty  beyond  precedent,  the 
weather  hot,  and  now  that  we  are  back  to  the 
river  there  is  but  little  grass  25 

Sat  17th  This    morning   our    cattle    had    no    grass    and    we 

have  driven  them  10  miles  down  the  river  to  tol 
erable  grass  (though  scarce),  these  mountains 
have  all  been  burnt  down  to  ash  hills,  some  of 
them  look  hot  yet.  there  is  no  system  to  them  at 
all.  their  sides  are  now  brown  and  everything 
looks  desolate  10 

Sund  18th  Today  we  have  had  a  cool  north  wind,  roads  very 

dusty,  good  grass  in  the  afternoon  in  abundance, 
but  some  salaratus  ground,  and  we  have  rolled 
on  about  21  miles  21 

Mond  19th  This  morning  there   was   quite   a   frost,    the   day 

has  been  pleasant,  the  roads  dusty,  in  passing  a 
stony  point  there  was  several  small  hot  springs 
near  one  of  which  I  measured  some  bull  Rushes 
over  12  feet  high  standing  erect,  we  passed  a 
good  deal  of  saline  and  salaratus  ground  and 
tolerable  grass  and  we  have  traveled  about  20 
miles  20 

Tues  20th  Last,  night  was  cool  to.    has  been  very  hot  and 

we  have  travelled  over  thousands  of  acres  of 
salaratus.  for  the  last  3  days  the  travel  has  been 
on  both  sides  of  the  river  and  all  the  indian 
depredation  has  been  on  the  south  side,  we  are 
on  the  North,  have  traveled  about  18m 

Wed  21st  On    our    way    today    the    river    passed    through    a 

kanyan  and  we  passed  over  a  mountain,  here  I 
saw  some  horned  toads  in  reality  haveing  ten 
respectable  horns  (and  but  one  head)  and  used 


ANNALS  OF   IOWA 


them  in  self  defence  while  the  little  draggons  of 
Green  river  have  horns  on  the  body  and  none  on 
the  head.  I  also  saw  a  shrub  that  appears  never 
to  have  any  leaves —  we  have  traveled  about  16 
miles  16 

Thurs  22nd  This  forenoon  the  road  was  dusty,    in  the  after 

very  sandy,  the  atmosphere  continues  very  smoky. 
The  river  seems  to  dimmish  in  size  and  we  have 
rolled  ahead  about  18  miles  18 

Frid  28rd  Most  of  our  road  today  has  been  sand  from  4  to 

6  inches  deep,  the  weather  hot  and  the  atmosphere 
smoky  and  we  have  travelled  about  17  miles. 
There  are  hundreds  of  persons  with  packs  on 
their  backs  that  live  on  rose  berries  and  frogs 
haveing  no  other  means  of  subsistence,  flour  has 
been  sold  at  $1  pr  pound  and  two  dollars  a  pound 
has  been  refused  in  many  cases  when  offered, 
grass  poor.  17 

Sat  24th  The  road  today  has  led  off  from  the  river  over 

an  ash  plain  and  we  have  traveled  16  miles,  the 
mountains  lay  around  in  low  dark  masses,  partly 
Isolated  and  Seem  Shrouded  almost  in  Egyptian 
darkness,  so  dense  and  smoky  is  the  atmosphere. 
Grass  is  very  scarce  and  our  oxen  feed  on  willows. 
we  have  seen  no  Indians  yesterday  or  today.  16 

Sund  25th  Most  of  the  way  today  our  road  has  led  through 

a  greaswood  flat  and  notwithstanding  a  small 
shower  this  morning  it  has  been  very  dusty  and 
our  oxen  had  but  little  else  than  willows  for  feed 
last  night  (and  poor  feed  tonight)  and  we  have 
traveled  about  14m 

Mond  26th  This    morning   after    driveing    our   oxen    2    miles 

and  swimming  the  river  we  took  up  our  march 
over  an  ash  plain  on  which  there  is  neither  weeds 
nor  a  spear  of  grass  and  but  little  else  than  a 
small  prickly  bitter  shrub  from  6  to  10  inches 
high,  we  traveled  on  until  11  oclock  and  watered, 
rested  1  hour,  then  went  on  until  three  oclock, 
watered  again  and  then  drove  on  until  11  at 
night,  watered  again  and  drove  on,  makeing  in  all 
about  40  miles,  most  of  this  distance  the  river 
winds  its  way  among  high  lime  and  ash  banks, 
small  bottoms  but  few  willows  and  no  grass,  and 
only  a  few  bites  now  and  we  must  go  further  and 
this  place  is  not  called  a  desert  40 


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57 


Tues  27th  No   feed   for   the   oxen   yet  on   the  road   and  we 

have  turned  off  to  the  left  and  crossed  the  big 
slough  for  feed  which  will  take  us  eight  miles  off 
our  way.  wre  have  found  plenty  of  flags  and  some 
grass  among  running  water,  our  day's  travel  will 
be  about  14  miles.  I  think  that  I  have  seen 
more  than  five  hundred  dead  horses  today.  I 
stopped  at  one  time  and  counted  43  horses  and 
5  oxen,  at  another  time  35,  all  putrid,  the  scene 
can  be  better  imagined  than  described,  about 
here  there  is  several  thousand  acres  of  tillable 
land  though  to  much  potash  and  salt  but  under 
proper  tillage  could  be  rendered  as  fruitful  as 
old  Egypt  14 

Wed  28th  Today  we  have  laid  by  all  day  and  cut  grass  to 

last  across  the  Desert,  cooked  up  some  victuals, 
etc.  The  atmosphere  continues  very  smoky  pre 
venting  any  considerable  view  of  the  country, 
many  persons  are  now  suffering  for  provisions 
and  teams  are  growing  poor 

Thurs  29th  This  forenoon  we  filled  our  water  Casks  with  what 

we  knew  to  be  the  leachings  off  from  the  putrid 
carcasses  of  thousands  of  dead  horses,  mules  and 
oxen,  then  put  in  our  grass  and  at  2  oclock 
rolled  down  6  miles  and  then  grazed  awhile,  at 
three  in  the  morning  went  on  6  miles  further  to 
the  head  of  the  Lake  or  pond  makeing  12  miles  12 
The  mountains  all  the  way  down  the  Humboldt 
are  mere  ash  hills.  The  River  has  but  seldom 
exceeded  30  yds  in  width,  frogs  have  been  very 
numerous  and  but  few  muskuitoes.  There  is  no 
timber  but  willows  and  but  few  of  them  exceeding 
20  feet  high,  ducks  are  plenty  also  some  wild 
geese  and  black  snipes  or  water  hens 

Frid  30th  This  morning  at  the  head  of  the  Lake  or  Sink  I 

saw  some  15  or  20  lodges  of  Indians,  most  of  them 
engaged  in  gathering  and  cleaning  of  a  grass  seed 
or  grain  much  resembling  broom  corn  seed  but 
flat.  Their  graneries  and  fans  would  do  credit 
to  the  engenuity  of  any  people,  they  also  make 
sugar  from  the  honeydew.  we  traveled  down 
beside  this  pond  about  10  mils,  crossed  a  slough 
and  went  8  mils  further,  then  got  a  cup  of  tea 
and  went  on  most  of  the  night  through  the  desert 


58  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

until  one  of  Lawrences  oxen  gave  out.  then  we 
stopped  and  are  here  near  the  middle  of  the  desert 
say  18m 

8at  31st  This  morning  all  was  a  desert  almost  as  far  as 

the  eye  could  extend,  it  has  the  appearance  of 
haveing  once  heen  highland,  then  burned  down 
to  its  present  level,  a  great  portion  of  it  consists 
of  small  sand  hills  or  cones  like  hay  stacks  and 
hay  cocks  blown  up  by  the  wind,  the  only  vege 
tation  is  some  scattering  grease  wood  bushes,  we 
started  and  went  on  until  near  noon,  then  watered 
and  fed  our  teams  again,  then  put  the  ballan[c]e 
of  our  load  in  one  waggon  and  spliced  teams, 
leaving  everything  that  we  thought  we  could 
spare,  then  rolled  ahead  a  few  miles  further, 
there  met  with  J  J.  Benning  beside  the  road,  he 
and  Mitchell  had  sent  one  waggon  to  the  river 
and  all  their  oxen,  men,  women,  etc.  and  will 
send  back  for  the  other  two  waggons  as  soon  as 
they  can.  we  however  were  able  to  reach  the 
river  at  11  o'clock,  at  night  makeing  about  22 
miles  this  day,  12  of  which  was  deep  sand.  I 
tried  to  count  the  number  of  wrecks  of  waggons, 
stock,  etc.  to  the  mile. 

I  find  there  is  about  30  waggons  to  the  mile  for 
40  miles  of  the  road — 1200.  the  dead  animals 
will  average  about  100  to  the  mile  for  40  miles — 
4000.  water  is  being  sold  at  $1.00  a  gallon  22m 

Sund  Sept  1st  Today  we  have  laid  by  on  Carson  River  among 
hundreds  of  waggons  and  lots  of  elephant  tracks.  I, 
think  here  in  one  place  of  say  20  acres  of  ground 
that  there  is  the  remains  of  800  waggons,  some 
persons  think  3000.  there  is  perhaps  2000  along 
the  bank  of  the  River  in  6  miles,  waggons  and 
ox  yokes  are  valuable  only  as  firewood  and  ma[n]y 
persons  when  they  abandan  their  wagg[on]s  set 
fire  to  the  beds.  I  have  seen  say  50  waggons  that 
had  been  fired  and  went  out.  others  pile  them 
up  and  then  pile  on  their  ox  yokes  and  harness 
and  consum  all  together,  such  bonfires  are  com 
mon,  here  in  this  place  a  meals  victuals  cost  fivo 
dollars  and  a  tired  ox  will  sell  from  one  to  eight 
dollars,  (cottonwood  trees  here) 


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59 


Mond  Sept  2nd  Still  laying  by  I  went  full  eight  miles  down  the 
river  to  cut  grass  to  do  our  team  one  day  on  the 
road  up  the  river,  there  has  been  pretty  good 
bunch  grass  here  on  the  low  bottoms  but  it  is 
all  eat  out  down  the  river  for  6  miles  and  for  30 
miles  up  stream,  people  arrive  all  hours  of  the 
night,  those  that  reach  here  with  more  than 
half  the  team  they  start  in  with  are  considered 
fortunate. 

Tues  3rd  This  morning  after  hailing  some  hay  6  miles  we 

left  this  scene  of  devastation,  takeing  up  on  the 
N  side  of  the  river,  after  6  miles  our  road  left 
the  river  and  went  over  a  rocky  dusty  sage  plain 
16  miles  on  to  the  river  again,  and  no  grass 
scarcely,  all  haveing  been  eat  out.  went  2  miles 
further  and  stopped,  as  yet  we  have  all  our 
stock  and  we  are  all  well,  our  hearts  are  light 
and  so  is  our  stock  of  provisions,  our  sugar  is 
gone,  today  we  eat  our  last  bacon,  our  fruit 
is  nearly  gone,  our  supply  of  rice  is  bountiful, 
;  I  coffee  and  tea  to  spare,  we  yet  have  about  10 

days  rations  of  breadstuff  24 

Wedns  4th  This  morning  we  went  3  miles  to  a  large  Meadow 

of  1000  acres,  all  eat  off.  we  found  good  grass 
further  up  the  river  off  from  the  road,  here  we 
sold  an  ox  for  16$.  I  had  drove  him  loose  for 
more  than  1000  miles,  our  road  then  left  the 
river  for  11  miles  over,  deep  hot  sand,  we  are 
again  encamped  on  the  River,  whole  days  travel 

14 

Thurs  5th  Today  we  have  crossed  the  river,  it  is  a  pretty 

stream  but  seldom  exceeding  40  yds  in  width,  our 
road  has  been  near  the  river  and  yet  very  dusty, 
we  have  made  about  16  miles,  hereabouts  the 
burnt  hills  rise  up  high  enough  to  be  entitled  to 
the  dignified  name  of  mountains,  but  no  timber 
as  yet  save  a  few  cottonwood  trees  along  the 
River,  whose  shade  I  have  enjoyed  several  times 
today,  it  is  a  great  luxury  to  me.  this  forenoon 
grass  was  plenty  but  dry.  this  afternoon  scarcely 
any  16 

Frid  6th  In  the  forenoon  our  road  was  near  the  river,  in 

the  afternoon  over  a  rocky  sage  plain  and  our 
days  travel  about  21  miles,  today  we  had  a 
shower  of  rain,  running  in  streaks,  scrubby  Cedars 
on  the  Mountain  sides  near  by.  there  is  spots  of 


60 


ANNALS  OF  IOWA 


Sat  7th 


Sund  8th 


Mond  9th 


Tues  10th 


old  snow  and  pine  timber  on  the  mountains  3 
miles  ahead  to  the  right,  some  packers  report 
4  inches  of  new  on  the  highest  mountains  on  the 
1st  of  sept.  21 

Today  we  are  in  the  Carson  valley,  it  consists 
of  several  thousand  acres  of  the  best  of  grazeing 
land,  considerable  quantity  fit  for  cultivation,  the 
river  running  through  the  center,  bold  Mountains 
on  the  west,  well  studded  with  beautiful  pine  tim 
ber  some  of  which  are  6  feet  in  diameter,  many 
of  them  from  3  to  4  feet,  lots  of  good  springs, 
several  pretty  brooks,  here  white  people  could 
live  and  we  have  traveled  today  about  16  miles  16 

after  going  about  2  miles  there  was  a  succession 
of  hot  springs  at  left  of  our  road,  several  times 
I  placed  my  left  hand  in  almost  scalding  water 
and  turned  up  my  right  eye  and  viewed  those 
small  though  everlasting  drifts  of  snow  near  by. 
the  grass  has  been  burnt  in  several  places,  the 
atmosphere  is  smoky.  The  Indians  all  the  way  on 
Carson  river  shoot  all  the  oxen  they  can.  they 
also  shoot  at  the  emigrants  every  convenient  op 
portunity  but  we  think  so  little  of  it  now  that  I 
had  neglected  to  mention  anything  about  it.  we 
come  about  6  miles  and  are  resting  the  team  and 
cutting  hay  to  last  over  the  mountains,  a  ma 
jority  of  the  emigrants  are  now  on  foot  with  their 
packs  on  their  backs,  haveing  lost  almost  every 
thing,  the  speculators  are  sending  large  quantities 
of  provisions  to  sell  to  those  still  behind  us  6 

This  morning  we  had  frost,  the  wind  has  blown 
a  gale  all  day.  we  saw  several  men  today  with 
mules  packed  with  provisions  for  their  friends 
that  are  digging  gold  north  and  east  of  this  place 
and  we  ar  considerably  east  of  the  highest  moun 
tains,  we  have  come  on  6  miles  more  and  laid  by 
the  rest  of  the  day,  preparing  for  the  rugged 
mountains  ahead,  there  will  not  more  than  %  of 
waggons  that  started  to  Callifornia  ever  attempt 
to  cross  the  mountains  6 

Last  night  the  wind  blew  a  hurricane  bareing 
down  tents,  blowing  away  tinware  and  hats  gen 
erally,  this  morning  as  cold  as  December  and 
brisk  snow  squalls  this  afternoon,  we  have  trav 
eled  12  miles  7  m  of  which  beats  anything  I 


THE  A.  W.   HARLAN  JOURNAL  61 

ever  saw  before,  through  the  Kanyan  on  the  head 
of  Carson  river,  here  the  scenery  was  most  grand 
and  imposing,  the  Mountains  of  light  grey  granite 
rose  almost  perpendicular  to  an  enormous  height, 
yet  the  dark  green  pines  of  several  varieties  and 
in  great  numbers  seemes  to  cling  to  the  mountain 
sides  and  nourish  most  luxuriantly  12 

Wed  llth  This    morning   the   high   Mountains   wer   covered 

with  snow,  the  lowland  with  hoar  frost,  ice  %  in 
thick  in  the  water  pail.  Two  new  varieties  of 
elder  and  several  new  varieties  of  currants  make 
their  appearance  in  this  locality,  most  of  the 
way  today  has  been  among  rugged  mountains  and 
dense  pine  forests,  many  of  them  seem  on  the 
decline  and  dying,  we  ascended  one  mountain  about 
1%  miles,  the  road  can  neither  be  imagined  nor 
described, — a  person  mus[t]  both  see  it  and  go 
over  it  to  appreciate  the  difficulty,  we  are  en 
camped  about  half  way  up  another  mountain,  the 
last  serious  obstacle  on  our  route,  and  have  come 
today  about  16m. 

Thurs  12th  In  ascending  the  Mountain  this  morning  I  discov- 

."  ered  the  bluebells  and  column  vine  [columbine] 
both  in  bloom  300  ft  above  the  level  of  perpetual 
snow  and  within  20  ft  fresh  mad[e]  Icickles.  we 
soon  passed  among  heavy  drifts  of  old  snow,  the 
road  steep  and  rocky,  and  reached  the  summit  at 
9  oclock  A.  M.  near  1000  ft  above  the  level  of 
perpetual  snow,  even  here  among  the  frozen 
earth  there  are  many  flowers  in  bloom,  from  this 
hight  we  had  an  extensive  view  of  a  very  rough 
mountainous  country  far  to  the  wes[t].  we  can 
now  say  if  we  have  not  rode  the  Elephant  Tri- 
umpantly  we  have  at  least  mounted  the  highest 
portion  of  the  Siera  Naved  [Nevada]  Mountains 
successfully,  our  road  has  been  very  rough,  the 
country  well  timbered  with  pines  and  balsam  fir. 
traveled  16m 

Frid  13th  This  morning  we  passed  the  tragedy  springs  and 

soon  came  to  some  large  cedars,  many  of  them  3 
to  4  feet  through.  1  tree  was  near  7  feet  in 
diameter  but  not  exceeding  50  feet  in  height,  we 
are  encamped  this  evening  2  miles  west  of  the 
leek  springs,  there  is  to  all  appearance  some 


62 


ANNALS  OF  IOWA 


little1  spots  of  tolerable  soil  hereabouts.  the 
country  is  a  dense  forest  of  pines  and  Balsom  fir, 
The  Fir  largely  predominateing.  there  is  a  few 
whortle  berries,  some  Rosberries — a  new  variety, 
and  also  a  goosberry  in  great  abundance,  Bigger, 
Better  and  thornyer  than  anything  of  the  Kind  in 
the  States.  The  bushes  are  low,  the  fruit  almost 
lying  on  the  ground,  our  days  travel  will  be 
about  13  miles  13. 

Sat  14th  Today  we  have  laid  by  all  day  resting  and  graze- 

ing  our  stock,  but  little  grass  to  graze  on  and 
none  at  all  for  the  next  40  miles.  I  have  seen 
several  new  kinds  of  squirrels  and  birds  among 
which  I  saw  a  mountain  Blue  Jay,  a  noble  Bird 
entirely  blue,  nearly  as  large  again  but  in  other 
respects  resembling  the  Jay  of  the  states,  the 
Black  tailed  deer  are  here  in  great  abundance 

Sund  15th  we  again  took  up  the  line  of  march  over  the  moun 

tains,  our  road  very  rough  and  stony,  dense  forests 
of  pines  fir  and  Cedars.  Cedar  trees  do  grow  100 
feet  high  and  from  2  to  4  feet  in  diameter,  a 
few  Oaks  made  their  appearance  today.  The 
Emigrants  have  cut  down  nearly  all'  of  them  that 
their  stock  might  feed  on  their  leaves  and  we 
have  done  the  same  this  evening,  we  have  had 
a  little  shower  of  rain  this  evening  and  trav 
eled  14m. 

Mond  16th  Today  we  have  traveled  about  18  miles,  the  [road] 

has  been  extremely  dusty,  some  portion  rocky, 
the  oaks  become  more  plenty  and  the  forest  has 
lost  its  beauty,  we  are  this  evening  in  pleasant 
valley,  there  is  no  feed  here  nor  anything  pleas 
ant  save  a  few  very  large  scrubby  oaks  18 

Tues  llth  Our  oxen  had  nothing  to  eat  last   [night]   save  a 

few  oak  leaves  and  we  have  come  on  10  miles 
to  a  little  town  called  Ringold.  here  we  sold 
our  team  and  waggon  all  together  for  295$.  he  [re] 
I  separated  from  my  companions  and  went  with 
the  team  to  the  Diamond  springs  2y2  towards 
sacramento  City,  at  Ringold  as  at  these  Springs 
I  have  seen  several  men  digging  and  washing 
gold.  I  can  now  say  I  am  fairly  into  the  gold 
diggins  and  will  probably  cease  keeping  a  Journal 

12 


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OcJf,    ^ 


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• 


FANCHER  STIMSON 
(From  a  daguerreotype  of  about  1850,   age  about  twenty-one  years.) 


ANNALS  OF  IOWA 


VOL.  XIII,  No.  6     DBS  MOINES,  OCTOBER,  1922         THIRD  SERIES 


OVERLAND  JOURNEY   TO  CALIFORNIA  BY   PLATTE 
RIVER  ROUTE  AND  SOUTH  PASS  IN  1850 


BY  FANCHER  STIMSON 


The  ceding  to  the  United  States  by  Mexico  of  California  in 
1818  and  the  discovery  of  gold  there  the  same  year  turned  the  at 
tention  of  the  people  of  the  United  States  to  that  distant  country. 
When  it  became  known  that  gold  existed  there  in  paying  quanti 
ties  a  tide  of  emigration  set  in,  many  people  from  the  seaboard 
states  going  by  way  of  Cape  Horn,  a  trip  requiring  at  least  six 
months  by  sailing  vessels. 

A  few  emigrants  late  in  1848  started  overland  and  wintered 
in  Salt  Lake  Valley,  which  had  been  settled  by  the  Mormons 
three  years  before.  A  much  larger  overland  movement  followed 
in  1849.  The  writer  then  lived  in  Palmyra,  Jefferson  County, 
Wisconsin.  Among  his  acquaintances  were  some  who  started 
overland  for  the  gold  fields  early  in  the  spring  of  that  year. 
During  the  winter  which  followed  the  excitement  grew  to  fever 
heat  by  the  arrival  in  that  quiet  town  of  two  men  direct  from  the 
new  Eldorado.  These  men  brought  with  them  large  sums  of 
money  which  they  had  obtained  in  the  placer  diggings  in  Cali 
fornia.  The  sight  of  the  gold  which  they  had  with  them  intensi 
fied  the  excitement.  Soon  a  company  was  organized  with  the 
view  of  making  an  early  start  in  the  spring  of  1850  to  cross  the 
plains. 


iFancher  Stimson  was  born  in  Ontario  County,  New  York,  February  25, 
1828,  and  died  at  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  January  9,  1902.  In  his  early  manhood 
he  resided  for  a  time  at  Palmyra,  Wisconsin,  and  later  at  Kalamazoo,  Mich 
igan,  but  in  1880  removed  to  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa.  He  was  a  civil  engineer 
and  from  1888  to  1890  served  as  city  engineer  of  Council  Bluffs.  This  interest 
ing  and  graphic  diary  kept  by  him  while  making  a  trip  across  the  plains  and 
mountains  to  California  in  1850,  and  the  accompanying  article  and  notes 
written  by  him  in  1900,  were  in  their  original  form  recently  presented  to  the 
Historical  Department  of  Iowa  by  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Carrie  S.  Allingham,  of 
Council  Bluffs.— Editor. 


404  I          ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

The  company  consisted  of  five  men  of  whom  the  writer  was 
one.  The  others  were  John  Clark,  Richard  Williams,  — 
Weed,  and  H.  Griswold.  The  outfit  consisted  of  six  horses  and 
one  wagon.  Four  of  the  horses  were  in  harness,  attached  to  the 
wagon.  The  other  two  were  saddle  horses,  or  were  so  used  in 
the  early  part  of  our  journey.  We  made  our  start,  as  noted  in 
the  diary,  in  March.  The  weather  was  good  and  gave  fair  prom 
ise  of  an  early  spring,  a  promise  not  realized  later  on. 

We  headed  for  the  Mississippi  River  at  Fulton,  Illinois,  oppo 
site  Clinton,  Iowa,  passing  through  Whitewater,  Janesville,  and 
Beloit,  Wisconsin,  and  Rockford,  Illinois.  In  that  early  day 
Iowa  was  not  much  settled,  save  along  the  Mississippi  River  and 
in  the  counties  in  the  east  half  of  the  state.  Leaving  Clinton 
we  passed  through  DeWitt,  county  seat  of  Clinton  County,2 
crossed  the  Cedar  River  many  miles  below  the  present  site  of 
Cedar  Rapids,  thence  to  Iowa  City,  then  the  capital  of  the  state, 
thence  to  Des  Moines,  then  a  little  town  of  board  shanties.  There 
was  no  settlement  from  there  to  Kanesville  (now  Council  Bluffs) 
nor  any  survey  of  public  lands. 

The  country  passed  over  between  Des  Moines  and  Kanesville 
was  unbroken  prairie.  The  route  for  the  road  had  been  chosen 
in  advance  of  the  first  wagons  which  had  passed,  and  its  course 
indicated  by  a  pile  of  buffalo  bones  and  skulls  on  each  high  point 
or  ridge  over  which  the  road  passed,  done  perhaps  by  the  first 
Mormon  emigrants  four  years  before. 

On  our  journey  from  our  home  in  Wisconsin  to  Kanesville  we 
had  the  company  of  several  other  Wisconsin  outfits  from  neigh 
boring  towns  in  that  state.  On  arriving  at  Kanesville  we  se 
lected  our  respective  camping  grounds  to  await  the  growth  of 
grass,  which  was  much  behind  what  was  usual  at  that  season, 
April  10.  The  selection  made  by  my  party  was  the  lower  part  of 
the  glen  in  which  stands  George  Keeline's  house  on  Pierce  Street, 
then  as  now  grass-grown  and  without  trees  or  brush.  The  hill 
sides,  then  annually  swept  over  by  fires,  were  sparsely  covered 
by  a  stunted. growth  of  brush  and  small  trees,  from  which  oaks 
and  elms  and  walnuts  of  large  size  have  since  grown.  The  resi- 


SDeWitt  was  the  county  seat  of  Clinton  County  from  1842  to  1869.  The  re 
moval  of  the  county  records  to  Clinton  was  made  in  November,  1869.  (See 
flies  of  the  DeWitt  Observer  in  the  Historical  Department  of  Iowa.)— Editor. 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY  TO   CALIFORNIA  405 

dent  population,  all  Mormons,  including  the  farming  portion  sur 
rounding  the  village,,  could  not  have  exceeded  400.  All  build 
ings  were  of  logs  and  mostly  one  story.  The  business  portion 
was  clustered  about  the  corner  where  now  stands  the  First  M.  E. 
Church.  Residences  were  built  for  a  little  distance  up  the  glen, 
now  First  Street,  and  on  the  level  bottoms  between  there  and 
Harrison  Street.  Indian  Creek,  now  flowing  through  a  channel 
100  feet  wide  by  30  feet  deep,  was  then  a  little  meandering 
stream  easily  spanned  by  a  few  planks  resting  upon  logs  reach 
ing  from  bank  to  bank. 

In  this  camp  we  remained  about  two  weeks.  We  occupied  the 
time  in  making  final  preparations  for  our  journey.  For  several 
weeks  the  grass  would  be  scant  and  unnutritious.  For  that  rea 
son  we  bought  of  the  Mormon  farmers  a  large  quantity  of  corn 
which  we  shelled  and  sacked.  This  we  loaded  upon  our  wagon. 
We  also  bought  a  lighter  wagon  suitable  for  our  two  extra  horses, 
and  that  was  loaded  with  corn.  For  this  we  paid  sixty-five  cents 
per  bushel.  Later  in  that  market  a  much  higher  price  was  paid. 
We  had  also  to  provide  for  our  subsistence.  No  further  oppor 
tunity  would  offer  for  laying  in  a  supply.  Three  months  was 
the  shortest  time  on  which  we  could  safely  figure  before  we  could 
reach  our  destination.  A  generous  stock  of  flour,  bacon,  sugar, 
coffee,  and  tea  was  provided.  Luxuries  like  butter,  syrups,  con 
densed  milk,  etc.,  were  not  to  be  thought  of.  Salt,  baking  pow 
der,  and  soap  were  not  omitted. 

It  was  known  that  in  '49  the  emigrants  had  laid  in  much 
larger  stocks  of  provisions  than  were  found  to  be  necessary,  and 
near  the  end  of  the  journey  great  quantities  were  cast  out  along 
the  way  to  relieve  their  animals  of  a  part  of  their  burden.  We 
erred  in  not  providing  enough.  Our  supplies  ran  short.  Only 
for  the  reason  that  all  along  on  the  last  one  hundred  or  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  we  met  many  small  parties  who  had  come  over 
the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  with  provisions  to  sell,  we  would 
have  been  obliged  to  kill  and  eat  our  jaded  but  faithful  horses. 
If  reports  which  we  heard  were  true  some  there  were  who,  taking 
another  route  near  the  last  end,  failed  to  meet  such  supplies  and 
perished  in  the  mountains.  This  was  told  of  some  of  the  parties 
who  took  the  Truckee  River  route.  Among  the  articles  most 


406  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

fortunately  remembered  by  us  were  an  extra  supply  of  horse 
shoes,  and  nails  for  same.  Later  on  during  our  journey  these 
were  found  to  be  of  great  service  to  ourselves  and  to  some  of  our 
fellow  travelers  less  provident  in  that  particular. 

During  our  stay  at  this  place  there  occurred  the  death  of  a 
member  of  one  of  the  Whitewater,  Wisconsin,  companies  who 
had  been  our  companions  from  the  time  of  leaving  home.  He 
was  a  man  of  thirty-five  or  forty  years,  unmarried.  The  Mor 
mon  preacher,  Orson  Hyde,  was  at  that  time  a  resident,  and 
officiating  minister  of  the  Mormon  Church  at  Kanesville.  At  the 
funeral  of  our  friend  the  elder  conducted  the  services,  and  the 
remains  were  taken  to  the  hill  where  now  is  Fairview  Cemetery. 

Preparations  for  moving  out  were  begun  soon  after  April  20. 
An  organization  had  been  formed  for  mutual  help  and  protection 
from  Indian  depredations,  of  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  men, 
an  equal  number  of  horses,  and  forty-three  wagons.  A  captain 
and  other  officers  were  elected.  It  may  here  be  said  that  this 
organization  was  soon  found  to  be  cumbersome  and  undesirable. 
The  fear  of  Indians  was  quickly  dispelled  and  became  a  subject 
of  merriment.  After  two  or  three  days  of  wrangling  and  dis 
agreement,  the  captain  resigned  and  disbandment  followed.  My 
party  continued  in  company  with  the  Wisconsin  parties  with 
whom  we  had  traveled  from  the  start,  say  about  twenty-five  men, 
twenty  horses  and  five  or  six  wagons. 

Returning  now  to  the  breaking  up  of  our  camp  in  Kanesville, 
our  unwieldy  train  of  more  than  forty  wagons  moved  out,  our 
purpose  being  to  reach  the  ferry  over  the  Missouri  River  lo 
cated  not  far  from  where  now  is  Florence,  a  suburb  of  Omaha 
north  of  that  city,  and  distant  from  our  camp  by  the  road  which 
we  must  travel,  twelve  or  fifteen  miles.  To  reach  the  ferry  we 
were  forced  to  go  north  from  Kanesville  several  miles  to  avoid 
a  bend  of  the  river,  which  at  that  time  flowed  through  Big  Lake, 
so  called  now,  the  river  having  long  since  departed  from  it.  Ar 
riving  at  the  ferry  (a  rope  one)  late  in  the  afternoon  we  found 
many  teams  ahead  of  us  waiting  for  their  turn.  It  was  near 
night  next  day  (April  21)  before  we  were  over,  and  a  camp 
was  made  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  There  was  no  home  of 
any  white  man  then  on  that  side  of  the  Missouri,  and  none  were 


OVERLAND   JOtjRNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  40? 

seen  by  us  until  we  reached  the  end  of  our  journey  in  Califor 
nia,  July  16. 

Our  camp  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river  was  near  the  winter 
quarters  of  the  Mormons,  the  first  wintering  place  of  that  perse 
cuted  people  after  they  had  been  driven  from  Nauvoo.  That 
was  the  winter  of  1846-47.  That  was  to  them  a  memorable  win 
ter.  Many  were  the  deaths  among  them  which  resulted  from 
its  rigors,  unhoused  as  they  were  and  with  insufficient  food  and 
clothing.  During  our  stay  in  that  camp  we  visited  their  burial 
place  on  the  side  of  the  bluff  overlooking  the  river.  The  many 
mounds,  then  overgrown  with  grass,  told  a  story  of  suffering 
and  endurance  which  has  since  then  been  told  and  retold,  and 
has,  throughout  the  civilized  world,  excited  feelings  of  pity  and 
admiration.  Their  history  was  then  unwritten.  They  had  pre 
ceded  us  only  three  years,  over  a  trackless  stretch  of  prairie, 
mountain,  and  desert,  and  had  made  for  themselves  a  new  home 
a  thousand  miles  away  from  the  scene  of  their  suffering,  and  by 
their  thrift  and  industry  were  already  making  the  "desert  blos 
som  as  the  rose." 

In  bidding  adieu  for  several  months  to  the  civilized  world,  as 
we  were  then  doing,  we  were  to  follow  for  hundreds  of  miles 
a  route  selected  by  their  guides,  and  by  them  and  their  animals 
trodden  into  a  well-beaten  wagon  road  over  mountain  and  plain, 
which  at  this  time,  fifty  years  later  (1900),  is  still  distinctly 
visible  in  places  undisturbed  by  cultivation. 

The  little  log  hamlet  on  the  Iowa  side  of  the  river,  Kanes- 
ville,  although  made  up  wholly  of  people  of  that  sect,  was  not 
intended  to  be  a  permanent  settlement.  It  was  merely  a  way 
station  for  the  outfitting  of  Mormon  parties  who  would  follow 
on  to  Salt  Lake,  the  land  of  promise.  To  one  of  the  wagon 
wheels  of  their  first  emigrant  party  was  attached  an  odometer, 
and  a  suitable  person  was  detailed  to  take  notes.  A  record  was 
kept  of  each  day's  travel  and  distance — in  one  column  the  dis 
tance  from  starting  place,  in  another  column  the  distance  from 
the  last  camp.  Objects  which  would  attract  notice  as  creeks, 
groves  along  the  river  bank,  even  solitary  clumps  of  willows  on 
a  treeless  plain,  rocks  of  peculiar  and  noticeable  shape,  were 
named  and  distance  noted.  After  reaching  their  destination 


408  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

these  were  arranged  and  published  in  pamphlet  form  and  sent 
back  to  their  outpost,  Kanesville,  for  the  benefit  and  guidance 
of  the  Saints  who  were  to  follow. 

When  we  were  there  copies  of  this  "Mormon  Guide  Book"  were 
available.  We  supplied  ourselves  with  them  and  found  them  of 
much  value.  We  knew  where  water  could  be  had  and  could  se 
lect  our  camping  places  a  day  or  more  ahead.  We  continued  in 
this  well-marked  road  to  the  summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
A  few  miles  beyond  South  Pass  this  road  divides.  We  there 
left  the  Mormon  road  and  took  the  right  hand  or  Oregon  Trail 
as  noted  in  the  diary  under  date  of  May  30. 

These  notes  were  kept  by  the  writer  daily  while  on  the  trip, 
often  when  tired,  dusty,  and  hungry,  after  a  day's  travel.  The 
brief  space  allotted  to  each  day  renders  them  short  and  at  times 
unsatisfactory.  Side  notes  were  taken,  as  will  be  observed,  but 
they  are  lost,  as  is  also  the  last  page  of  the  diary,  containing  the 
last  three  days'  travel  and  arrival  in  the  mining  town  of  Placer- 
ville,  then  for  obvious  reason  called  "Hang  Town." 

Sunday,  April  21st,  1850.2a  Left  Palmyra  Wisconsin  March  llth  1850 
and  arrived  at  Council  Bluffs  April  10th  having  been  just  30  days  on 
the  road  a  distance  of  about  500  miles.  At  Council  Bluffs  we  staid  some 
thing  over  a  week,  and  having  obtained  our  supplies  we  joined  an 
organized  company  of  about  130  men  and  43  waggons. 

Monday,  April  22nd.  At  about  9  oclock  A.M,  left  camp  on  south 
west  side  Missouri  river  at  the  old  Mormon  winter-quarters  Our  course 
for  a  considerable  part  of  the  day  lay  within  sight  of  the  Missouri  river. 
The  road  good  entirely  free  from  sloughs  very  hard  and  firm  but  ex 
ceedingly  winding  and  somewhat  hilly  passing  as  it  does  over  a  con 
tinual  succession  of  hills  and  hollows.  Arrived  at  Pappea  [Papillion?] 
creek  18  miles  drive  and  camped  for  the  night. 

Tuesday,  April  23d.  Weather  very  fair  but  cold  north  wind.  Very 
little  appearance  as  yet  of  grass.  Left  camp  early  this  morning.  Crossed 
the  creek  by  the  bridge  built  by  the  Mormons.  Our  road  today  if  pos 
sible  was  more  crooked  than  yesterday.  Drove  9  miles  to  Elk-Horn 
river,  which  is  a  beautiful  stream  about  nine  rods  wide,  and  6  or  8  feet 
deep.  A  good  ferry  is  established  here.  After  crossing  over  the  river 
we  encamped  to  wait  for  a  part  of  our  company  who  were  yet  behind. 
Wind  changed  during  the  day  to  south. 


2aThe  text  of  the  writer  of  this  diary  is  followed  precisely,  including  his 
style  of  dates,  and  his  errors  in  punctuation,  spelling,  capitalization,  etc., 
mostly  made,  no  doubt,  because  the  writing  was 'done  under  the  hardships  of 
travel,  and  when  he  was  only  a  boy.  The  portions  of  the  article  preceding  and 
following  the  diary,  which  were  written  fifty  years  later,  show  correctness  and 
good  literary  quality. — Editor. 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY  TO   CALIFORNIA  409 

Wednesday,  April  2$th.  Weather  fine  today:  South  wind  and  quite 
warm.  Made  25  miles  and  camped  on  the  bank  of  the  Platte  river.  Our 
road  today  has  been  straight  and  level  all  the  way  on  flat  land  of  the 
Platte  river.  The  flats  are  from  8  to  10  miles  wide  and  have  at  some 
time  been  over-flowed  by  the  river  which  is  a  shallow  muddy  looking 
stream  with  a  quicksand  bottom  The  road  on  the  bottoms  in  midsummer 
would  be  excellent  but  at  the  present  time  is  intersected  with  several  bad 
sloughs. 

Thursday,  April  25th.  Made  about  23  miles  today.  Crossed  several 
bad  sloughs  and  were  obliged  to  draw  our  waggons  through  by  hand. 
7y2  miles  from  camp  passed  an  Indian  grave  and  saw  at  a  distance  on 
the  opposite  of  the  river  an  Indian  village.3  Weather  still  continues 
warm.  Wind  S.S  W.  with  some  prospect  of  rain. 

Friday,  April  26th.  Decamped  about  daylight  &  arrived  at  the  ferry 
on  the  Loup,  Fork  about  9y2  oclock:  this  is  a  very  bad  stream  to  ford  or 
ferry.  The  old  Mormon  fording  place  is  about  27  miles  above.  The 
current  of  the  river  is  very  swift  and  forms  sand  bars  in  the  bed  of  the 
river  which  are  continually  changing.  Camped  on  east  bank  of  river 
as  one  company  was  ahead  of  us  and  wind  blew  too  strong  to  ferry. 
Plenty  cotton  wood  timber  and  good  place  to  camp.  We  are  told  that 
4  or  5  men  were  drowned  last  year  in  attempting  to  ford  the  river  at 
this  place. 

Saturday,  April  27th.  Weather  rather  cold  all  day  spent  in  ferrying 
the  river  at  night  camped  on  the  other  side 

This  was  a  rope  and  current  ferry,  owned  &  operated  by  some  Mor 
mons,  who  had  made  a  temporary  stop  at  the  Loup  Fork,  and  were 
making  a  "good  thing"  helping  us  gentiles  to  cross  a  bad  &  somewhat 
dangerous  stream  We  did  not  begrudge  them  our  crossing  fee. 

Sunday,  April  28th.  It  was  thought  best  to  travel  today  as  our  teams 
are  well  rested  I  am  prepared  to  oppose  travelling  on  the  Sabbath  ou 
all  occasions  except  when  compelled  to  do  so  by  absolute  necessity,  but 
the  majority  rules  and  I  am  carried  along.  Made  about  34  miles  and 
encamped  on  bank  of  Loup  Fork.4 


3These  were  the  first  Indians  which  we  had  seen.  After  we  had  gone  into 
camp  two  of  them  crossed  the  shallow  Platte  River  and  visited  us.  We  had 
heard  harrowing  tales  of  their  depredations  against  the  whites  passing  through 
their  country,  and  although  these  two  were  treated  kindly  and  well  fed,  it 
was  suggested  that  they  were  really  acting  as  spies  and  a  night  attack  might 
be  expected  from  the  warriors  of  the  village.  After  sunset,  they  uttered  their 
"How,  how!"  and  were  about  to  depart  on  their  return.  This  our  brave  (?) 
fellows  prevented,  and  showed  them  a  bed  under  cover,  where  they  might  pass 
the  night.  Reluctantly  they  crawled  inside,  and  our  night  watch  were  instructed 
to  keep  an  eye  on  them  and  prevent  their  escape.  Next  morning  after  feeding 
them  well,  they  were  permitted  to  go  where  they  pleased.  Later  on  we  be 
came  better  acquainted  with  our  red  brother  of  the  plains,  and  whenever  this 
incident  was  alluded  to  it  seldom  failed  to  provoke  a  broad  smile. 

4An  error  was  made  in  name  of  river  at  this  camp.  It  could  not  have  been 
Loup  Fork.  We  left  that  in  the  morning  of  that  day  (Sunday)  thirty-four 
miles  back.  That  would  bring  us  to  a  point  about  half  way  between  Clarks 
and  Central  City— stations  on  the  Union  Pacific.  Here  a  long  island  in  the 
Platte  lies  near  the  north  bank  of  the  river.  The  island  is  more  than  six  miles 
in  length,  and  is  overgrown  with  cottonwood  trees  and  willow.  The  main  river 
could  not  be  seen  from  our  camp  and  the  smaller  stream  between  us  and  the 
island  has  in  the  diary  been  called  the  Loup  Fork.  An  incident  occurred  on 


410  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

Monday,  April  29th.  Made  about  33  miles.  Struck  the  Mormon  trail 
about  5-y2  or  6  miles  from  our  last  night  camp.  We  traveled  about  25 
miles  today  without  water  &  were  fortunate  enough  to  find  a  little  a 
little  creek  not  mentioned  in  the  Mormon  guide  probably  at  that  time 
entirely  dry.  The  wind  had  blown  strong  all  day  and  we  had  just  un 
hitched  our  teams  and  struck  our  tent  when  the  wind  struck  us  with 
redoubled  fury  driving  clouds  of  sand  before  it.  We  held  our  tent  up 
about  2  hours  and  then  pulled  it  down  &  got  under  tent  cloth  and  some 
in  the  waggon  and  spent  the  worst  night  I  ever  experienced.5 

Tuesday,  April  30th.  After  a  search  of  about  an  hour  and  a  half  for 
caps  hats,  horse  blankets,  and  other  loose  articles  which  the  wind  had 
blown  away  in  the  night  we  decamped,  and  drove  over  a  very  good  road 
for  about  8  or  10  miles  and  came  within  2  miles  of  the  Platte  river  again. 
Made  about  15  miles  and  pitched  our  tents  at  Wood  river  so  called  by 
the  Mormons;  good  camping  place,  stream  easily  forded.  Today  one 
of  our  men  shot  a  buffalo.  They  are  becoming  quite  plenty,  several  an 
telopes  have  been  seen. 

Wednesday,  May  1st.  Started  about  9  oclcok  and  made  about  16 
miles  and  camped  near  a  small  creek  which  puts  into  the  Platte  near 
by.  The  new  grass  is  higher  here  than  I  have  seen  it  before.  Our  ani 
mals  were  able  to  get  a  good  bite.  One  of  our  company  lost  a  good 
horse  last  night  from  eating  too  much  corn  without  hay  or  grass.  We 
feast  on  buffalo  meat  now-a-days.  I  think  it  the  sweetest  and  best 
meat  that  I  have  ever  eaten. 

Thursday,  May  2d.  Broke  up  camp  early  this  morning.  Road  still 
level  and  very  good  quite  free  from  bad  sloughs  Road  still  continues 


this  day  which  I  recall.  After  our  tents  had  been  struck  in  the  morning  and 
our  own  wagons  loaded  and  ready  for  a  start,  I  went  ahead  alone  and  on 
foot.  I  was  perhaps  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  company.  A  low  swell  of  the 
prairie  to  the  south— on  my  left— hid  the  river  and  the  intervening  bottoms 
from  my  view  and  from  view  of  those  who  were  behind.  I  heard  a  roaring 
noise  in  that  driecton.  At  first  I  could  not  make  out  what  it  meant.  The 
south  wind  was  blowing  strongly.  Presently  I  saw  a  volume  of  smoke  rise 
above  the  low  hill.  The  prairie  grass  was  on  fire  and  the  strong  wind  was 
sweeping  it  upon  us  with  the  speed  of  a  running  horse.  If  it  caught  our  train 
the  result  would  be  disastrous.  Nothing  could  control  our  horses  in  their  terror, 
nor  save  our  canvas-covered  wagons  and  commissary  stores.  Luckily,  when  I 
felt  in  my  pocket  for  a  match  I  found  one.  I  quickly  had  it  lighted  and  ap 
plied  to  the  tall  and  heavy  prairie  grass  on  the  leeward  side  of  the  road,  and 
with  a  lighted  wisp  fired  the  grass  along  as  fast  as  I  could  go.  Away  went 
a  wall  of  flame,  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high  as  fast  as  it  was  approaching  us 
from  the  south.  Our  people  saw  and  understood.  Horses  were  lashed  into  a 
run.  They  arrived  upon  the  burnt-over  ground  none  too  quickly. 

5This  storm  was  of  wind,  not  accompanied  with  rain  or  moisture  in  any 
form.  The  fire  had  swept  over  the  prairie  two  days  before  and  the  ground  was 
covered  with  ashes,  cinders,  and  particles  of  unconsumed  grass.  All  this  min 
gled  with  grains  of  sand  was  lifted  into  the  air  in  such  a  cloud  that  no  eye 
of  man  or  horse  could  be  held  open.  No  supper  could  be  prepared,  no  feed 
or  water  for  the  horses.  These  stood  tied  to  our  wagons  until  the  wind  had 
spent  its  fury.  The  little  stream  mentioned  was  in  a  depression  three  or  four 
feet  below  the  general  level.  Water  was  flowing  in  it  when  we  arrived.  When 
morning  dawned  the  wind  had  ceased.  We  looked  for  the  stream.  Even  the 
depression  was  filled  with  ashes  and  cinders  and  could  scarcely  be  located.  On 
finding  it  and  digging  through  to  water,  that  was  found  to  be  black  and  unfit 
for  use.  Without  any  attempt  to  prepare  breakfast  or  to  feed,  we  gathered 
our  scattered  property  and  drove  on  in  search  of  water  which  we  found  as 
described. 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  411 

within  4  or  5  miles  of  the  Platte.  Made  26  miles  and  camped  near  the 
river.  It  is  now  raining  considerably.  The  ground  is  very  dry  and  a 
shower  of  rain  will  start  the  grass  right  up.  Plenty  of  cotton  wood 
timber  along  the  streams  yet,  but  we  shall  soon  pass  timber  of  all  de 
scription. 

Friday,  May  3d.  Started  early  this  morning  and  made  about  28 
miles  over  a  very  good  road  for  the  season  of  the  year.  There  has 
been  a  strong  north  wind  blowing  today  and  very  cold.  No  prospects 
of  grass  yet  the  old  grass  has  been  entirely  burnt  off.  We  see  large 
quantities  of  game  buffalo  and  antelope  every  day.  Camped  near  the 
river  again,  no  timber. 

Saturday,  May  4th.  Drove  15  miles  to-day  and  encamped  at  the  first 
convenient  place,  two  or  three  miles  from  the  river:  quite  cool  yet  but 
warmer  than  yesterday  As  our  animals  have  only  corn  to  eat  without 
hay  or  grass,  they  are  running  down  rapidly  and  we  are  obliged  to 
make  short  drives  and  camp  early  to  let  them  pick  around  as  much  as 
possible.  From  our  experience  so  far  I  would  not  advise  emigrants  to 
leave  the  settlements  in  the  spring  before  their  animals  can  get  a  bite 
of  grass. 

Sunday,  May  5th.  We  hitched  up  our  teams  about  9  oclock  and 
drove  about  20  miles  and  encamped  near  the  river  The  weather  is  clear 
but  cold.  The  roads  are  good  and  The  Lord  has  still  continued  to  bless 
us  with  health  and  prosperity  although  we  have  not  refrained  from 
desecrating  his  holy  Sabbath  day. 

Monday,  May  6th.  Made  21  miles  to-day  over  a  heavy  sandy  road 
a  part  of  the  way  with  some  sloughs.  Our  road  to-day  has  been  off 
the  river  and  next  the  bluffs  thus  avoiding  a  bad  swamp.6  We  have 
encamped  for  the  night  close  by  a  little  stream  called  Carrion  Creek. 
The  grass  at  this  point  is  the  best  that  I  have  seen  This  afternoon  we 
passed  the  most  beautiful  spring  of  clear  cold  water  that  I  ever  saw. 

Tuesday,  May  7th.  Today  our  road  has  been  close  alongside  of  the 
river  We  have  now  passed  the  last  timber  that  we  shall  see  for  a  dis 
tance  of  200  miles:  our  only  dependanance  for  fuel  for  this  distance 
will  be  buffalo  chips  &  willow  bushes.  The  bluffs  approach  nearer  the 
river  here  than  when  we  first  neared  it,  and  the  flats  are  more  springy 
and  soft,  consequently  we  are  obliged  to  keep  along  the  bluffs  which 
gives  us  a  sandy  road. 

Wednesday,  May  8th.  Our  road  to-day  has  been  for  the  most  part 
been  over  the  bluffs,  very  hard  drawing  through  the  sand.  We  have 
now  passed  the  point  where  the  South  Branch  of  the  Platte  puts  into 
the  river  hence  the  stream  is  not  more  than  half  as  large  as  it  has  been 
back.  We  passed  the  grave  of  a  man  from  Iowa  who  died  May  1st 
1850  of  congestion  of  the  brain.  He  must  have  belonged  to  the  first 
company  that  went  through. 


eDuring  this  day's  drive — Monday,  May  6 — we  must  have  passed  the  mouth 
of  the  South  Platte  River.  We  did  not  observe  it  for  reason  that  our  road 
was  far  away  from  the  river  and  along  the  bluffs,  to  avoid  a  bad  swamp. 


412  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

Thursday,  May  9th.  Road  to-day  mostly  alongside  the  river  very 
good  but  occasionally  a  soft  spot  Made  26  miles  and  camped  by  wolf 
creek.  Our  number  of  waggons  which  at  first  consisted  of  26  waggons 
that  is  after  our  division,  is  now  reduced  to  23.  Three  have  been  thrown 
aside,  after  having  fed  out  the  load  with  which  they  were  loaded.  We 
have  seen  no  Indians  for  the  last  10  or  12  days. 

Friday,  May  10th.  This  morning  ascended  a  steep  sand  bluff  a  few 
rods  from  camp.  Our  road  for  threefourths  of  a  mile  was  heavey  sand 
after  which  it  was  hard  and  good.  Drove  28  miles  and  camped  oppo 
site  an  encampment  of  Indians  and  traders  on  South  side  Platte:  were 
visited  in  the  evening  by  several  Indians  of  the  Sioux  nation.  About 
10  oclock  A.M  passed  "Lone  Tree."  The  bluffs  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river  are  very  bold  and  high  and  from  this  side  look  like  one 
compact  ledge  of  rocks  but  are  probably  composed  of  a  species  of 
hard  clay. 

Saturday,  May  llth.  Three  oclock  P.M.  found  us  21  miles  from  our 
last  encampment.  Our  road  has  been  good  a  part  of  the  way  over 
bluffs  but  not  sandy.  Encamped  near  the  river  at  a  point  called  "An 
cient  Bluff  Ruins",  supposed  by  some  to  resemble  the  ruins  of  old 
castles  &  fortifications.  Several  single  towers  of  rock  and  clay  from 
100  to  300  feet  in  diameter  rise  to  the  perpendicular  height  of  75  to 
200  feet  giving  a  home  in  the  caverns  and  crevices  to  great  numbers  of 
wolves,  ravens,  rattlesnakes,  etc.  etc. 

Sunday,  May  12th. 

Again  it  was  thought  advisable  to  travel  on  the  Sabbath  and  night 
found  us  about  30  miles  further  advanced  on  our  journey  and  in  camp 
nearly  opposite  "Chimney  Rock"  which  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  river. 
The  top  of  this  rock  is  elevated  about  250  feet  above  the  surrounding 
country  and  rises  in  a  slim  perpendicular  column  from  the  top  of  a 
conical  shaped  hill  which  makes  up  about  half  its  height. 

Monday,  May  13th.  Brought  us  26  miles  along  on  our  journey  over 
the  best  road  for  that  distance  that  I  ever  saw;  perfectly  smooth  with 
out  a  slough,  sand  or  even  a  stone  in  the  way.  Passed  "Mount  Scott" 
about  l-y2  oclock  and  camped  at  Trout  creek.  Our  animals  are  doing 
well.  Grass  is  now  high  enough  to  afford  considerable  nourishment. 

Tuesday,  May  14th.  A  drive  of  28  miles  brought  us  to  a  rather  poor 
camping  place7  on  the  banks  of  the  Platte  Road  today  rather  sandy 


This  camp  (Tuesday  evening,  May  14)  was  about  nine  or  ten  miles  west 
of  the  west  line  of  Nebraska.  During  the  drive  of  this  day  we  saw  the  last 
of  the  buffaloes.  Only  a  few  small  bunches  had  been  seen  for  several  days. 
We  passed  them  in  largest  numbers  from  about  where  Grand  Island  now  is 
to  somewhere  near  the  mouth  of  South  Platte  River.  The  valley  along  where 
are  now  Kearney,  Lexington,  and  Cozad,  was  swarming  with  them  in  bands  of 
fifty  to  two  hundred  or  three  hundred.  At  times  we  estimated  as  many  as 
four  thousand  or  five  thousand  would  be  in  sight  at  one  view.  They  paid 
little  attention  to  us  save  when  hunted  by  us.  The  old  and  superannuated 
males  seemed  to  be  in  bands  by  themselves.  On  an  occasion  one  of  our  hunters 
killed  one  of  these,  but  the  meat  was  found  to  be  so  tough  that  we  passed 
them  by.  Some  of  them  had  been  caught  by  the  prairie  fire  previously  de 
scribed  and  were  totally  blind,  and  so  burned  over  that  their  sides  and  backs 
were  masses  of  sores.  Dead  antelopes  also,  and  wolves,  were  found  which  had 
been  overtaken  or  surrounded  by  the  flames  and  had  perished. 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY  TO   CALIFORNIA  413 

weather  fine.  About  6  o'clock  in  the  evening  we  were  passed  in  our 
camp  by  a  company  that  had  made  two  long  drives  to  pass  us  in  order 
to  beat  us  at  the  Laramie  Ferry.  We  remained  quiet  until  about  11, 
hitched  up  our  teams  and  outgeneraled  them  beautifully. 

Wednesday,  May  15.  Arrived  at  the  ferry  a  distance  of  17  miles 
about  sunrise  over  a  very  bad  sandy  road  Teams  very  much  fatigued 
and  worn  Spent  the  day  in  ferrying  and  visiting  the  fort  and  govern 
ment  improvements.  The  fort  is  situated  in  forks  of  the  Laramie  and 
Platte  on  the  South  side  of  the  latter.  Very  pleasantly  located  and 
guarded  with  three  companies  of  soldiers.8 

Thursday,  May  16th.  Our  teams  needing  considerable  rest  and  some 
of  our  company  wishing  to  make  some  alteration  in  wagon  etc,  we  drove 
only  10  miles  and  encamped  on  the  borders  of  Platte  south  side.  There 
finding  good  feed  for  animals  we  concluded  to  lay  up  for  the  next  day: 
cast  of  our  large  waggon  and  all  the  baggage  we  could  possibly  spare, 
rerigged  our  light  one  and  put  all  our  provisions  and  traps  on  it  and 
were  ready  for  an  early  start  next  morning. 

Friday,  May  17th.  Morning  at  daylight  found  stirring  and  making 
preperations  for  leaving  camp  to  continue  our  journey.  Instead  of 
taking  the  road  leading  over  the  Black  Hills  we  took  what  is  called  the 
middle  road  said  to  a  few  miles  nearer  and  a  better  chance  for  grass. 
The  road  today  has  been  good  somewhat  hilly  and  a  little  stony  but 
hard,  easy  for  a  team  and  free  from  dust.  Made  30  miles  and  en 
camped  on  the  banks  of  the  horseshoe  creek. 

Saturday,  May  18.  Had  a  lovely  place  to  camp  last  night.  Our  ani 
mals  looked  full  and  refreshed.  We  started  our  teams  early  and  during 
a  greater  part  of  the  day  kept  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  river. 
The  road  has  been  excellent  hard  as  a  pavement  but  hilly.  Made  30 
miles  and  encamped  at  La  Perch  river.  Swift  current — poor  feed  plenty 
of  timber.  Met  today  a  team  of  mules  from  Salt  Lake  and  the  Fort 
Hall  mail,  30  days  out.  They  met  the  first  Californians  200  miles  ahead 
this  side  of  the  pass. 

Sunday,  May  19.  A  majority  being  in  favour  of  travelling  we  left 
our  camping  place  at  an  early  hour  and  made  19-y2  miles  and  camped 
in  a  pleasant  place  near  a  pretty  stream.  Our  road  to-day  has  been 
good  but  hilly.  Passed  many  high  hills  and  rocky  ridges. 

Monday,  May  20.  Our  teams  were  somewhat  worn,  in  consequence 
of  which  we  drove  to  the  ferry  across  Platte  river  near  Deer  creek  a 
distance  of  17-y2  miles  The  road  still  continues  rough  but  hard.  Camp 
ing  places  are  plenty.  The  road  is  intersected  by  beautiful  streams  with 
plenty  of  grass  and  timber.  A  part  of  our  company  ferried  and  camped 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 


8 After  ferrying  over  the  river  on  Wednesday,  May  15,  we  remained  in  camp 
near  the  ferry  over  night.  Next  camp  was  ten  miles  up  the  river  on  south 
side.  Referring  to  a  map  of  Guernsey  and  vicinity,  in  Laramie  County,  Wyom 
ing,  this  would  seem  to  locate  that  camp  on  the  river,  on  N.  E.  %  of  Sec.  12,  T. 
26  N.,  R.  66  W.  Or  possibly  on  S.  E.  %  of  Sec.  6,  T.  26  N.,  65  W. 


414  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

Tuesday,  May  21st.  That  part  of  our  company  that  ferried  yester 
day  drove  on  this  morning  early  not  waiting  for  us  who  with  five  other 
waggons  were  camped  on  the  South  side  We  crossed  at  near  seven 
o'clock  and  drove  about  25  miles  over  a  very  bad  sandy  road  Passed 
an  alkali  creek  about  noon,  camped  near  the  Platte  in  sight  of  the  snow 
capped  Black  Hills  a  part  of  the  Rocky  mountains.9 

Wednesday,  May  2'2nd.  Today  we  drove  26  miles.  We  have  now 
left  the  Platte  river  entirely  and  our  course  is  directed  towards  the 
Sweetwater  river.  The  road  today  has  been  very  good  since  we  left 
the  river  but  no  water  until  we  struck  spring  creek  where  we  encamped 
with  little  grass  and  wood  but  wild  sage.  Passed  several  alkali  lakes10 
and  one  creek  A  little  beyond  one  swamp  of  bad  water  we  counted  11 
skeletons  of  cattle  that  were  probabally  poisened  by  drinking  the  water 
last  year. 

Thursday,  May  23d.  Our  horses  had  a  poor  chance  for  feed  last 
night  and  early  this  morning  we  hitched  them  up  and  thought  we  would 
drive  to  good  feed  and  lay  till  morning.  We  found  nothing  worth  stop 
ping  for  within  17-y2  miles  here  we  encamped  without  water  and  no 
wood  but  sage.  We  however  had  filled  our  barrel  with  water  at  Greece- 
Wood11  creek  The  Sweet  Water  mountains  are  ahead  of  us  now  a  few 
miles  and  covered  with  snow  Met  today  several  ox  teams  5  weeks  from 
Salt  Lake. 

Friday,  May  24th.  We  had  last  night  a  very  good  feed  for  our  ani 
mals  and  did  not  start  very  early.  Came  to  the  Sweet  Water  river12 


»The  range  of  mountains  referred  to  is  the  Laramie  range.  At  that  time 
these  mountains  were  referred  to  as  the  "Black  Hills,"  a  name  which  now 
attaches  to  a  mining  region  in  Dakota.  Laramie  Peak,  the  most  elevated  point 
in  this  range,  is  about  10,200  feet  high  and  is  distant  from  Fort  Laramie  about 
fifty  miles,  nearly  due  west.  Until  late  in  the  summer  months  snow  can  be 
seen  in  the  ravines  near  the  summit.  It  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  a  part  of 
the  Rocky  Mountain  range,  being  more  than  200  miles  from  the  continental 
divide,  and  separated  from  it  by  the  North  Platte  River.  Good  pine  timber 
abounds  there  and  from  there  the  government  obtained  supplies  for  use  at 
the  fort  or  post  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  1850. 

JOThese  soda  lakes  were  then  a  novelty  to  us.  The  water  which  was  strongly 
impregnated  with  an  alkaline  substance,  was  found  to  be  unwholesome  for  our 
stock,  and  we  were  at  some  pains  to  prevent  them  from  drinking  it.  One  of 
the  horses  belonging  to  my  outfit  came  near  dying  from  drinking  it.  We  saved 
him  as  we  think  by  a  liberal  close  of  uncooked  bacon  which  we  forced  him  io 
swallow.  It  later  became  known  to  us  that  animals  accustomed  to  it  could 
drink  it  with  impunity.  There  are  various  places  in  Wyoming  and  in  other 
western  states  where  these  lakes  are  found.  The  evaporation  of  the  water 
leaves  upon  the  surface  an  incrustation  of  soda  (so  called)  of  a  thickness  and 
strength  sufficient  to  safely  bear  the  weight  of  a  man  or  horse. 

"Probably  now  called  Horse  Creek. 

i-'This  is  'a  cleft  through  a  high  ledge  of  rock  lying  athwart  the  course  of 
the  Sweet  Water  River  and  through  which  that  stream  rushes  in  a  wild  and 
tumultuous  flow.  The  walls  of  the  canon  are  not  less  than  400  feet  in  height 
and  are  precipitous  or  overhanging.  In  visiting  it  we  climbed  along  the  edge 
of  the  chasm,  looking  for  a  place  to  descend  to  the  water's  edge.  Only  one 
such  on  our  side  of  the  canon  was  found.  By  climbing  down  a  steep  slope  of 
rock  by  a  narrow  passage  we  found  ourselves  at  the  bottom  a  little  above  the 
water  in  the  river  in  a  space  not  more  than  three  square  rods,  surrounded  on 
three  sides  by  a  wall  of  rock,  on  the  other  side  by  the  tumbling  and  rushing 
waters  of  the  .river.  Whether  this  chasm  is  a  natural  gorge  or  has  been  worn 
through  by  the  river  is  not  apparent,  probably  the  latter  cause.  Surveys  have 
been  made  through  it  to  determine  the  feasibility  of  constructing  a  railroad. 
That  could  be  done  but  it  would  not  be  necessary,  as  the  canon  can  be  avoided 
by  going  around. 


OVERLAND  JOURNEY  TO   CALIFORNIA  415 

5  miles  from  camp  grass  here  looks  considerable  better.  Five  miles 
further  passed  Independence  Rock.  This  is  the  largest  specimen  of 
rock  that  I  have  ever  seen  composed  of  solid  granit  120  rods  long  and 
24  rods  wide  and  from  75  to  100  feet  high  The  end  next  the  road  bears 
the  names  of  p*robably  5000  visitors.  Made  17  miles  and  camped  two 
miles  beyond  "Devils  Gate" 

Saturday,  May  25th.  Brought  us  twenty  miles  nearer  our  journey's 
end.  Our  grain  now  is  nearly  gone  and  our  horses  are  obliged  to  sub 
sist  entirely  on  grass  and  in  consequence  of  the  change  we  are  obliged 
for  the  present  to  make  short  drives  and  give  them  time  to  fill  them 
selves.  Many  are  passing  us  but  I  think  that  they  miss  it  in  driving 
so  hard  now.  I  think  we  will  pass  them  at  the  last  end  of  the  route, 
camped  near  a  high  bluff  or  mountain  by  the  Sweet  Water  river: 
Weather  to-day  very  cold,  had  quite  a  snow  storm. 

Sunday,  May  26th.  Morning  came  again  and  found  us  not  as  usual 
busy  about  camp  making  preperations  to  continue  our  journey,  but 
quietly  resting  in  our  tents  until  a  late  hour  in  the  morning.  We  are 
encamped  in  a  lovely  place  in  a  seculded  and  romantic  spot  back  from 
the  road:  the  river  is  on  one  side  and  a  towering  almost  perpendicular 
wall  of  recks  on  the  other.  Our  animals  are  in  good  feed  and  the  day 
was  spent  in  cleansing  our  persons  and  refreshing  ourselves  for  another 
weeks  travel.13 

Monday,  May  27th.  This  morning  we  awoke  and  on  looking  out  of 
our  tent  were  somewhat  surprised  to  see  that  during  the  night  Nature 
had  silently  clothed  herself  in  a  gown  of  white.  The  snow  was  about 
an  inch  deep.  This  morning  found  our  animals  in  good  trim  and  we 
moved  off  at  a  good  pace  and  made  about  32-%  miles.  We  passed 
during  the  day  a  peice  of  low  swampy  ground  where  ice  may  be  found 
at  any  season  of  the  year  by  digging  about  two  feet  Encamped  at  the 
Sweet  Water. 

Tuesday,  May  28th.  I  awoke  this  morning  as  keen  as  a  briar  after 
having  slept  out  on  the  prairie  which  I  did  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
our  horses  together  and  guarding  them  against  the  Indians.  There  was 
no  grass  about  the  camp  and  we  took  them  about  a  mile  off  and  I  wrapt 
myself  in  a  blanket  and  lay  down  among  them  and  rested  very  well. 
We  forded  the  river  this  morning  and  drove  17  miles  and  encamped 


i3In  this  camp  where  we  remained  over  Sunday  we  saw  the  first  mountain 
sheep — "big  horn" — which  had  been  seen  on  the  trip.  These  were  too  far  away 
for  a  shot  but  we  observed  their  movements  with  interest:  They  were  on  an 
inaccessible  (to  us  inaccessible)  ledge  of  rock  on  the  face  of  what  seemed  a 
perpendicular  wall.  How  came  they  there  or  how  would  they  get  off,  were 
questions  which  we  .asked  ourselves.  It  did  not  remain  a  mystery  long.  When 
they  had  satisfied  their  curiosity  by  gazing  at  us  and  our  tents,  their  leader 
suddenly  made  a  spring.  To  us  it  seemed  he  must  go  to  earth  and  rocks  below 
and  be  dashed  to  death.  Not  so  to  him.  He  landed  on  a  projection  indistin 
guishable  to  us,  then  another  leap  and  another,  the  whole  band  following,  and 
all  passed  around  a  sharp  angle  and  disappeared  from  sight.  In  form  and 
structure  they  resemble  the  goat  or  deer  more  than  a  sheep,  except  in  head 
and  horns.  They  have  hair  like  deer  or  goat,  not  at  all  resembling  the  wool 
Of  our  sheep. 


416  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

close  by  a  snowbank  using  the  water  from  a  little  stream  near  by  melted 
snow  and  within  23  miles  of  the  famous  "South  Pass" 

Wednesday,  May  29th.  This  morning  we  found  that  the  stream 
where  we  were  encamped  had  ceased  to  furnish  us  with  water  and  we 
were  obliged  to  melt  snow  to  use  in  cooking.  Last  flight  I  killed  a 
very  fine  antelope  which  makes  excellent  eating.  We  have  passed  today 
a  great  deal  of  snow.  In  one  place  we  drove  over  a  bank  I  should  think 
six  feet  deep.  This  afternoon  we  forded  Sweet  Water  for  the  last 
time  3  rods  wide  and  2-%  feet  deep.  Made  23  miles  and  camped  with 
in  2  miles  of  South  Pass  without  water  except  what  we  brought  with  us. 

Thursday,  May  30th.  Started  early  and  passed  the  "Summit  of  the 
Rocky  mountains"  two  miles  from  camp  three  miles  further  came  to 
first  water  which  tends  toward  the  Pacific  Ocean.  19-%  miles  from 
camp  we  came  to  the  junction  of  the  Salt  Lake  and  Oregon  roads.  We 
took  the  Righthand  or  Oregon  road  and  traveled  5  miles  and  encamped 
at  the  "Little  Sandy"  creek.  Found  feed  here  very  scarce  and  drove 
our  horses  about  a  mile  and  a  half  to  tolerable  grass. 

Friday,  May  81st.  The  73  miles  stretch  without  water  known  as  the 
desert  was  now  within  six  miles  of  us.  We  struck  our  tents  early  and 
took  in  water.  We  drove  on  about  7  miles  and  turned  our  animals  out 
to  graze.  About  three  o'clock  P.M.  we  hitched  up  and  drove  two  miles 
to  the  Big  Sandy  and  took  in  all  the  water  that  we  had  room  for  and 
broke  out  upon  the  dreaded  desert.  Drove  till  about  midnight  and 
finding  good  grass  we  camped  for  the  remaining  part  of  the  night. 
Made  about  30  miles. 

Saturday,  June  1st.  Sunrise  found  us  in  readiness  for  a  start.  We 
drove  on  until  about  8  o'clock  when  when  we  hauled  upon  a  good  spot 
of  grass  and  cooked  our  breakfast  and  drove  on  arrived  at  Green  river 
about  1  O'clock  forded  and  drove  up  the  river  nearly  two  miles  to  good 
grass  and  struck  our  tents  for  an  encampment.  Instead  of  finding  the 
desert  barren  waste  and  deep  sand  as  we  expected  we  found  with  the 
exception  10  or  12  miles  excellent  feed  and  hard  clayey  road. 

Sunday,  June  2nd.  Lain  in  camp  today.  The  weather  is  fine  clear 
and  comfortably  warm  something  unusual  for  this  mountainous  country. 
It  rains  or  snows  nearly  every  day.  The  emigrants  mostly  lay  in  camp 
Sabbath  days,  but  their  time  is  spent  principally  in  attending  to  worldly 
matters  in  one  way  or  another.  I  rarely  meet  with  a  disciple  of  Christ 
yet  my  daily  prayer  is  that  the  Lord  will  grant  me  grace  sufficient  for 
me  in  my  present  situation. 

Monday,  June  3d.  Made  about  25  miles  to-day  over  the  roughest 
road  that  I  ever  saw.  We  would  hardly  clear  one  steep  rugged  moun 
tain  before  we  would  have  to  commence  another  so  high  that  a  man  on 
the  top  would  look  like  a  school-boy.  We  exchanged  horses  this  morn 
ing  with  an  old  Indian  for  a  mountain  pony.  About  11  miles  from 
camp  we  struck  a  tributary  of  Green  river  which  we  forded  we  passed 
numerous  snow  streams  and  encamped  in  a  deep  ravine. 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  417 

Tuesday,  June  4th.  Our  route  today  still  continued  over  the  moun 
tain.  Sometimes  in  gaining  two  miles  we  rise  to  the  height  of  2000 
feet  or  more.  We  are  having  a  much  worse  and  more  rugged  road  over 
these  (Bear)  mountains  than  over  the  Rocky  mountains.  About  13 
miles  from  camp  we  came  to  a  deep  swift  stream,  about  3  or  4  rods 
wide.  We  swam  our  animals  over  and  ferried  our  baggage  in  waggon 
boxes  which  we  made  tight  by  caulking.  Traveled  about  7  miles  after 
this  and  encamped  by  a  small  snow  stream. 

Wednesday,  June  5th.  This  morning  we  found  that  our  stream  had 
ceased  to  flow  but  we  had  taken  precaution  to  fill  our  cans  with  water 
so  that  we  have  plenty  for  cooking.  Came  in  sight  of  Bear  river  about 
noon.  We  descended  a  long  steep  hill  and  found  on  the  bottoms  or 
flat  land  first  rate  feed.  The  river  runs  westerly  and  I  think  empties 
into  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  Forded  a  branch  of  the  river  and  camped 
on  the  north  side  near  a  high  mountain  have  made  about  25  miles. 

Thursday,  June  6th.  An  early  hour  found  us  in  readiness  for  a  start. 
A  few  miles  travel  brought  us  to  a  branch  of  Bear  river  which  was  so 
swollen  by  snow  water  that  we  were  obliged  to  ferry  over  with  our 
waggon  boxes.  The  trail  still  continues  down  Bear  river,  and  we  find 
the  best  of  feed.  The  valley  is  covered  with  wild  flowers  of  various 
kinds  and  a  thick  rank  growth  of  grass  while  the  hills  on  either  side  are 
white  with  snow.  Made  31  miles  and  encamped  by  a  creek  coming  in 
from  the  mountains. 

Friday,  June  7th.  Today  made  about  34  miles  and  encamped  near 
Bear  River  within  one  mile  of  Hedpeths  cut-off.  Passed  during  the 
day  some  of  the  most  beautiful  springs  of  water  that  I  ever  saw.  One 
of  them  called  Soda  Spring  is  a  curiosity  well  worthy  of  a  visit  from 
the  passer-by  The  water  is  a  little  warm  and  is  strongly  impregnated 
with  a  soda  substance  and  gushes  up  through  the  rock  boiling  like  the 
water  in  a  chaldron  kettle  jutting  up  sometimes  from  one  to  one  and  a 
half  feet. 

Saturday,  June  8th.  Distance  made  to-day  about  21  miles.  One  mile 
from  camp  we  came  to  Hedspeths  cut-off  which  we  took  leaving  the 
old  Fort  Hall  trail  on  the  right.  The  country  through  we  passed  this 
morning  is  very  volcanic  in  its  character.  We  passed  an  extinct  vol 
cano  on  the  left  of  the  road.  The  feed  is  excellent  but  the  road  is  hilly 
and  stony  and  will  probabally  continue  so  for  the  next  100  miles.  En 
camped  on  a  beautiful  stream  of  a  clear  water  surrounded  by  high 
bluffs. 

Sunday,  June  9th.  Remained  in  camp  today.  Cool  today  with  occa 
sionally  a  little  dash  of  rain.  Last  night  a  man  belonging  to  a  com 
pany  that  fell  in  with  us  a  few  days  since  was  taken  sick  probabally 
with  the  mountain  fever.  Learned  today  that  one  of  the  men  with 
whom  we  have  been  travelling  a  short  time  is  a  professed  follower  of 
Christ.  This  is  the  first  Christian  man  that  I  have  fallen  in  with  to  my 
knowledge  since  I  .left  home. 


418  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

Monday,  June  10th.  Started  early  and  made  about  28  miles.  Our 
horses  are  in  fine  travelling  condition  this  morning.  I  think  that  all 
emigrants  after  once  trying  the  experiment  will  continue  afterwards 
•to  lay  up  every  Sabbath  day.  The  sick  man  in  our  company  some 
better.  The  roads  over  which  we  are  travelling  are  very  hilly  but  free 
from  sand.  Feed  is  fine  and  of  the  best  quality.  Our  horses  still  con 
tinue  in  good  condition.  Camped  by  a  small  creek  near  several  Indian 
wigwams  belonging  the  Shoshones  or  Snakes. 

Tuesday,  June  llth.  Drove  30  miles.  Our  course  has  been  today 
over  a  hilly  road;  about  5  miles  from  camp  we  struck  a  small  creek, 
from  this  we  found  no  more  water  for  twentyfive  miles.  Last  night  the 
Indians  stole  a  fine  pair  of  horses  from  a  man  encamped  near  us  which 
left  him  without  one  animal  to  continue  his  journey.  He  however  got 
his  effects  aboard  of  another  waggon  and  keeps  along. 

Wednesday,  June  12th.  An  early  hour  found  us  in  readiness  for  a 
start.  We  cleared  28  miles  through  a  rough  broken  country.  About 
4  miles  from  camp  we  came  into  a  deep  ravine  between  high  mountains 
which  we  followed  in  its  winding  course  about  20  miles:  for  about  half 
of  this  distance  the  road  is  gradually  ascending  to  the  summit  of  the 
mountain  and  then  descends  to  the  valley  of  Raft  River.  Took  in 
water  at  a  small  creek  and  drove  3  miles  further  and  made  a  dry 
camp. 

Thursday,  June  13th,  Encamped  at  the  crossing  of  raft  river,  after 
driving  about  18  miles.  About  12  miles  from  camp  we  crossed  a  deep 
creek.  From  this  place  to  our  camping  ground  we  found  the  worst 
road  that  we  have  seen  since  we  left  home.  We  crossed  a  swampy  piece 
of  ground  which  was  almost  impossible  for  a  horse  to  cross  without 
drawing  anything.  We  were  obliged  to  take  the  teams  off  from  several 
of  our  waggons  and  try  them  over  by  hand.  We  crossed  Raft  river 
over  a  willow  bridge  with  our  waggons  and  forded  our  horses. 

Friday,  June  l!fih.  Drove  about  20  miles  and  encamped  near  a 
boiling  spring  at  the  base  of  a  high  mountain  Crossed  Raft  River  again 
about  8  miles  from  camp  which  was  much  swollen  by  late  rains  the  road 
today  has  been  very  bad  and  our  teams  are  much  wearied.  Struck 
Fort  Hall  trail  directly  after  leaving  camp.  Feed  still  continues  plenty 
which  keeps  our  animals  in  good  spirits. 

Saturday,  June  15th.  About  15  miles  from  our  last  nights  encamp 
ment  we  struck  our  tents  in  a  mountain  gorge  by  a  pretty  clear  creek. 
Weather  still  continues  lowery  and  unfavourable  roads  now  are  very 
muddy.  About  8  miles  from  mornings  camp  we  came  to  the  Salt  Lake 
trail:  this  evening  that  part  of  our  company  that  left  us  at  the  Platte 
river  came  up  with  us  We  passed  them  by  taking  the  cutoff. 

Sunday,  June  16th.  We  did  not  move  out  of  camp  today.  We  have 
been  passed  by  a  great  many  teams  most  of  them  however  lay  over 
yesterday  on  account  of  the  storm  This  evening  the  weather  looks  more 
favourable:  we  have  been  delayed  some  from  bad  weather.  Our  old 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  419 

company  are  in  camp  with  us  and  tomorrow  we  will  move  on  together. 

Monday,  June  17th.  Started  early  and  camped  about  4:i/3  P.M.  hav 
ing  made  25  miles  over  a  very  rough  road.  About  7  miles  travel 
brought  us  to  Goose  creek  which  we  followed  up  for  18  miles  without 
fording  it  and  struck  our  tents  near  where  the  road  leaves  the  creek. 
The  roads  are  dry  now  and  good  but  some  stony;  very  little  feed  and 
that  of  a  poor  quality. 

Tuesday,  June  18th.  Today  travelled  about  33  miles  and  camped  at 
a  spot  barren  of  feed  for  horses.  We  stopped  at  a  creek  called  cold 
spring  creek.  The  trail  follows  the  creek  up,  the  valley  of  which  is 
wide  and  grows  abundance  of  wild  sage  and  greece-wood  and  a  species 
of  coarse  grass  very  good  for  cattle  but  horses  will  scarcely  eat  it  at 
all.  All  along  this  valley  are  numerous  hot  springs. 

Wednesday,  June  19th.  Camped  this  afternoon  in  sight  of  the  Hum- 
boldt  mountains  the  tops  of  which  are  white  with  snow.  We  have  trav 
elled  today  about  23  miles  passing  in  the  morning  many  hot  springs. 
About  noon  we  came  to  good  feed  again  which  continued  during  the 
afternoons  drive.  We  encamped  by  a  small  creek  as  usual  without 
timber  except  wild  sage  which  answers  as  a  substitute. 

Thursday,  June  20th.  Sunrise  found  us  on  .the  move  and  we  drove 
on  a  rapid  rate.  A  few  miles  from  camp  we  saw  some  men  who  had 
lost  a  horse  during  the  night  probabally  stolen  by  the  Indians.  About 
noon  crossed  a  branch  of  the  Humboldt,  muddy  and  bad  to  cross.  A 
drive  of  about  30  miles  brought  us  to  the  Humboldt  river  which  we 
ferried  in  our  waggon  boxes  and  encamped  for  the  night. 

Friday,  June  21st.  This  morning  we  were  obliged  to  cross  several 
bad  sloughs  before  we  reached  the  high  land  joining  the  river  bottom. 
Our  course  then  lay  some  part  of  the  time  on  the  lowland  &  a  part  of 
the  time  on  the  bluffs;  road  fair  land  barren  &  destitute  of  grass  for 
horses  or  mules.  During  the  day  forded  a  branch  of  the  river  about 
3  feet  deep,  made  25  miles  and  encamped  on  the  high  land  about  80 
rods  from  the  river. 

Saturday,  June  22nd.  Today  weather  very  warm.  Made  about  30 
miles  and  encamped  near  a  tributary  of  the  Humboldt  with  very  poor 
feed.  In  the  fore  part  of  the  day  the  road  lay  along  the  river  bottoms: 
about  noon  we  left  the  flat  land  and  took  the  bluff  road  which  has  been 
made  to  avoid  several  fords.  Very  rough  and  wearing  to  a  team.  Good 
grass  on  the  mountains  but  no  water. 

Sunday,  June  23d.  As  we  were  poorly  situated  to  lay  over  for  re 
cruiting  our  teams  it  was  thought  best  to  hitch  up  and  drive  to  feed 
and  water.  This  we  found  about  10  miles  from  camp.  Water  poor 
but  grass  excellent.  The  road  here  is  several  miles  from  the  river. 
We  encamped  on  a  hill  with  good  grass  in  a  ravine  on  the  right  and 
water  in  a  river  on  the  left. 

Monday,  June  24th.  This  morning  4  of  our  animals  were  missing: 
y/e  had  a  long  search  for  them  and  found  them  about  3-%  miles  from 


420  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

camp.  We  hitched  up  and  drove  until  2,  oclock  and  stopped  on  a  spot 
almost  barren  of  grass.  After  this  drove  until  about  sundown  near  a 
creek  which  puts  into  the  river.  Travelled  during  the  day  about  30 
miles.  Teams  considerably  reduced  in  strength. 

Tuesday,  June  25th.  Three  mules  and  two  horses  were  missing  this 
morning:  after  a  search  of  nearly  all  day  they  were  found  in  possession 
of  the  Indians  and  were  brought  in  about  sundown.  Our  team  in  com 
pany  with  some  others  went  on  and  made  about  25  miles.  Encamped 
by  a  small  creek  on  an  18  miles  stretch  of  alkali  land. 

Wednesday,  June  26th.  Today  we  laid  in  camp  until  about  noon 
when  the  other  part  of  the  company  coming  up  we  decamped  and  drove 
about  15  miles  and  struck  our  tent  by  a  branch  of  the  river  at  a  spot 
of  good  feed.  This  is  the  most  desolate  and  barren  section  of  country 
that  we  have  passed  through.  The  bluifs  on  either  side  of  the  river 
are  almost  entirely  destitute  of  vegetation. 

Thursday,  June  27th.  Last  night  a  man  belonging  to  a  company 
campetl  near  us  died  of  the  mountain  fever.  He  was  a  native  of  Iowa 
but  was  travelling  with  an  Illinois  company.  He  was  buried  by  the 
roadside;  in  morning  and  soon  after  we  started  on  our  days  travel  and 
drove  about  12  miles  and  encamped  near  the  river  and  spent  most  of 
the  afternoon  in  cutting  grass  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  and  bring 
ing  it  over. 

Friday,  June  28th.  At  2  and  a  half  O'clock  in  the  morning  we 
hitched  up  and  drove  on:  our  teams  were  tolerably  well  rested  and  we 
drove  on  until  about  7  o'clock  when  we  halted  and  cooked  our  break 
fast  &  then  moved  on.  Travelled  part  of  the  time  on  the  river  flats 
and  part  of  the  time  on  the  bluffs.  Distance  today  about  25  miles. 
camped  near  the  river. 

Saturday,  June  29th.  Our  animals  had  rather  poor  feed  last  night 
and  after  driving  5  miles  we  came  to  some  grass  where  we  stopped  and 
baited  and  cut  grass  and  put  into  our  waggons.  We  drove  about  15 
miles  during  the  day  and  camped  at  a  good  grazing  spot.  Weather  hot 
and  roads  dusty/ 

Sunday,  June  30th.  Today  it  was  thought  best  to  travel  and  we  left 
camp  early  and  drove  about  8  miles  and  stopped  to  bait.  Hitched  up 
again  and  drove  5  miles  and  took  in  water  and  started  on  the  20  miles 
stretch  without  water.  At  the  end  of  this  distance  we  camped  near 
the  river  without  grass.  Distance  travelled  about  32  miles.  Tied  our 
horses  to  our  waggons  and  gave  them  some  hay  that  we  had  along. 

Monday,  July  1st.  About  2  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  started  out 
thinking  to  find  grass  and  stop.  We  found  some  About  5  miles  dis 
tant:  cut  some  for  our  animals  and  spent  the  remaining  part  of  the 
day  in  laying  a  stock  to  take  along.  We  find  feed  very  poor  all  along 
this  river  and  sometimes  have  to  wade  through  mud  and  water  2  feet 
to  get  it  where  it  is  top  miry  for  the  horses,  Started  on  about 


OVERLAND  JOURNEY  TO   CALIFORNIA  421 

sundown  and  drove  until  one  o'clock  at  night  and  camped  near  the 
river  did  25  miles. 

Tuesday,  July  2nd.  As  we  were  obliged  to  camp  last  night  without 
grazing  we  used  the  grass  we  had  on  hand  and  early  in  the  morning 
moved  on  and  struck  the  river  about  9  o'clock  and  stopped  to  cook 
our  breakfast  We  then  started  on  and  came  to  the  river  only  once 
more  and  camped  at  a  creek  and  spring  near  grass  slough,  having  made 
about  35  miles. 

Wednesday,  July  3d,  Started  early  this  morning  before  eating  our 
breakfast  and  drove  to  within  3  miles  of  grass  slough  and  finding  good 
baiting  stopped  and  cooked  our  breakfast  and  then  drove  to  where  we 
lay  up  to  cut  grass  to  feed  across  the  desert.  This  is  the,  first  spot  of 
decent  grass  that  we  have  found  on  the  low  land  adjoining  the  river. 
Distance  today  7  miles. 

Thursday,  July  4th.  Today  we  lay  in  camp  until  about  5  oclock. 
We  cut  and  made  hay  for  our  animals  over  the  desert.  A  great  many 
teams  seem  to  miss  this  point  and  pass  by  to  the  Sink.  There  is  said 
to  be  no  feed  beyond  this  place.  Towards  night  we  hitched  up  and 
started  for  Sulpur  Spring  the  Starting  point  for  the  desert.  Distance 
to  the  Spring  24  miles. 

Friday,  July  5th. 

Arrived  at  the  Spring  this  morning  about  6  o'clock.  The  water  is 
very  poor,  but  it  must  be  used  for  our  animals  across  the  40  miles 
stretch  without  any  water.  We  brought  nearly  enough  with  us  for 
our  own  drinking,  and  made  out  with  a  little  of  this  by  making  coffee. 
Staid  here  until  about  3-y2  o'clock  and  started  for  the  Desert. 

Saturday,  July  6th.  Had  tiresome  work,  Travelled  all  night  baiting 
twice.  We  passed  a  great  many  carcasses  of  dead  animals  and  some 
that  have  probabally  been  killed  to  afford  food  for  some  starving  emi 
grant.  Passed  on  our  way  a  spring  the  water  of  which  is  as  salt  as 
brine.  Left  our  waggon  about  midway  on  the  desert,  packed  and  ar 
rived  at  Pilot  river  about  noon.  Moved  on  towards  evening  3  miles 
and  camped  near  the  river. 

Sunday,  July  7th.  We  expected  to  find  good  feed  along  this  river 
but  are  disappointed.  Our  animals  had  very  little  to  eat  last  night 
and  this  morning  are  hungry  tired  and  weak.  Moved  on  early  and 
stopped  where  we  found  a  very  little  feed.  Here  we  staid  till  about 
noon  and  started  again  and  travelled  on  until  about  dark  and  encamped 
near  the  river  at  a  spot  of  tolerable  feed.  Made  during  the  day  about 
21  miles. 

Monday,  July  8th.  We  lay  in  camp  today  until  three  o'clock  P.M. 
and  started  over  the  20  miles  stretch  without  water.  The  road  was 
somewhat  sandy  &  as  our  animals  are  weak  it  was  rather  slow  and  to 
them  tiresome  work.  Arrived  at  the  river  late  in  the  night  and  camped 
without  grass  for  the  remaining  part  of  the  night  and  hitched  them  to 
the  bushes  till  morning. 


422  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

Tuesday,  July  9th.  Found  grass  about  a  mile  along  the  road  and 
turned  our  animals  out  to  graze  and  did  not  move  out  again  until  about 
2  o'clock  P.M.  when  we  repacked  our  animals  and  travelled  on  7  miles 
to  where  the  road  leaves  the  river  for  ten  miles  and  camped  for  the 
night.  Distance  traveled  today  8  miles. 

Wednesday,  July  10th.  Started  out  early  and  arrived  at  the  river 
about  11  oclock  over  a  very  bad  road.  The  feed  now  as  we  advance 
in  our  course  up  the  river  is  becoming  considerable  better.  Travelled 
along  the  river  for  some  distance  and  then  left  it  for  several  miles 
passing  a  high  hill  around  to  the  right  as  the  river  goes  to  the  left. 
Exchanged  two  horses  nearly  worn  out  with  some  traders  from  the 
mines  for  a  little  flour  and  fresh  beef.  Distance  today  26  miles. 

Thursday,  July  llth.  Four  miles  from  camp  we  passed  a  company 
of  men  encamped  near  the  mountains  and  river  who  were  butchering 
fat  cattle  and  selling  to  the  emigrants  at  the  moderate  price  of  a  dollar 
per  pound.  There  we  found  splendid  feed  animals  would  recruit  in  a 
short  time.  We  are  now  often  meeting  with  supplies  from  the  mines. 
Flour  they  sell  at  $2,  per  pound  bacon  the  same.  Traveled  24  miles 
and  encamped  at  a  snow  stream. 

Friday,  July  12th.  Five  miles  travelling  brought  us  to  the  end  of 
the  valley  to  "the  Kanyon"  where  the  stream  passes  through  a  part  of 
the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains.  Crossed  the  stream  3  times,  found  a 
very  bad  rocky  road.  A  few  miles  further  we  passed  "Red  Lake"  and 
then  ascended  the  mountain  up  which  the  road  leads.  This  we  found 
decidedly  the  worst  road  we  have  seen.  Travelled  about  22  miles  and 
encamped  on  the  mountain  where  we  found  good  grazing. 

Saturday,  July  13th.  One  and  a  half  miles  from  camp  we  came  to 
a  lake;  leaving  it  to  the  left  we  climbed  a  mountain  over  snow  perhaps 
20  or  25  feet  deep.  Arriving  at  the  top  we  left  the  main  track  to  the 
left  and  struck  off  to  the  right  taking  a  cut  off  which  is  said  to  save 
some  10  miles.  After  descending  the  mountain  we  came  to  a  beautiful 
lake  skirted  with  handsome  pines.  Passed  around  the  lake  leaving  it 
to  the  left  and  climbed  the  mountain  again  and  struck  the  old  track. 
Made  about  15-%  miles. 

Sunday,  July  14th.  We  have  now  passed  the  Summit  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  range.  The  descent  to  the  west  appears  to  be  more  gradual, 
not  continuous,  but  each  successive  ridge  or  foot  hill  of  the  mountain 
is  lower  than  the  last.  We  have  been  skirting  lakes  &  passing  over 
Snow  banks,  in  some  places  the  ground  quite  wet.  All  this  is  now 
changed.  Ground  is  dry  &  roads  are  fine —  Vegetation  seems  dried 
up  but  our  animals  eat  it  freely  &  appear  to  thrive.  A  change  in  the 
character  of  the  timber  appears  since  passing  the  summit.  West  of 
that  Spruce  &  Cedar.  Some  trees  of  the  latter  of  very  large  size.  Last 
night  we  made  our  camp  near  a  windfall  of  pine  timber  on  a  flattened 
summit  between  ravines.  The  night  was  cool  and  we  soon  had  a  blazing 
fire  of  pine  which  burned  all  night.  No  guard  kept  out  with  horses, 


OVERLAND  JOURNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  423 

but  found  them  all  right  &  well  filled  At  noon  baited  our  horses  and 
hasty  lunch  as  we  advance,  the  timber  is  increasing  in  size.  Another 
camp  by  a  fire  of  pine.  Nights  now  not  so  cool.  Distance  today  about 
25  miles. 

Monday,  July  15th.  Our  breakfast  was  soon  prepared.  Our  Sup 
plies  are  running  very  low.  Only  bacon  flour  &  coffee  without  sugar — 
Our  journey  is  drawing  to  a  close  and  we  hear  no  complaints.  We  are 
now  in  the  midst  of  the  finest  timber  which  I  have  ever  seen.  Many 
trees  of  great  height  &  of  immense  size.  About  noon  we  passed  the 
stump  of  a  tree,  called  here  redwood  which  had  been  felled  &  was  being 
hollowed  out  and  shaped  into  a  canoe  or  dugout.  It  was  on  skids  and 
unfinished  It  was  45  or  50  feet  long,  not  less  than  ten  feet  in  diameter 
and  would  carry  100  men —  No  one  working  on  it  when  we  passed. 
Where  it  was  proposed  to  float  it  or  how  transport  it  to  water,  was  to 
us  an  unanswered  querry.  It  was  at  least  75  miles  to  navigable  water. 
No  incident  worthy  of  note  today.  Weather  is  becoming  very  warm. 
Feed  among  the  pines  dry  but  nutritious.  Large  Oak  trees  now.  Low 
but  wide  spreading.  Distance  today  about  18  miles. 

Tuesday,  July  16th.  For  a  camping  place  last  night  we  found  an 
open  area  of  2  or  3  acres  surrounded  by  pines  and  live  oak  trees,  near 
the  road.  Several  small  springs  of  cool,  clear  water  kept  the  ground 
moistened.  Mountain  clover,  grew  in  abundance,  green  &  just  in  bloom, 
in  marked  contrast  with  the  parched  and  gray  surface  around,  and  over 
which  we  had  travelled  for  two  days.  We  rose  this  morning  refreshed, 
and  in  good  spirits.  A  general  expectancy  is  evident.  It  is  known  that 
the  end  of  our  journey  is  near,  and  some  think  this  our  last  day.  We 
were  early  on  the  way,  our  animals  well  fed  &  rested.  Only  few  wagons 
in  the  company —  Most  had  been  discarded  east  of  the  mountains  and 
luggage  packed  on  animals.  About  an  hour  before  noon  as  we  were 
plodding  onward  dusty  and  hot,  a  sound  was  heard  which  caught  all 
ears.  Every  step  was  arrested.  It  w.as  the  crowing  of  a  cock  near  by. 
Instantly  every  hat  in  the  party  was  swinging  in  air,  and  more  than 
two  dozen  throats  were  shouting  hurrah,  hurrah !  It  was  a  sound  which 
had  not  before  been  heard  for  many  weeks,  a  most  certain  indication 
that  we  had  passed  from  a  wilderness  into  some  sort  of  civilization. 
The  sound  came  from  an  opening  in  the  forest,  such  as  was  our  camp 
ing  place  of  the  night  before.  A  miner,  two  or  three  perhaps,  had 
built  a  cabin  near  a  spring,  and  remembering,  I  suppose  surroundings 
of  home,  had  planted  out  some  garden  "truck",  and  had  domicilled  half 
a  dozen  fowls.  All  was  hidden  from  our  view  by  a  narrow  strip  of  low 
growing  mansineeter  bushes  between  the  opening  and  the  road.  Half 
a  mile  further  on  Placerville  was  reached  and  our  journey  of  more 
than  4  months  was  ended.  Here  also  ends  my  diary. 

The  winter  which  followed  arrival  in  California  the  writer 
spent  in  the  mineral  district  near  Georgetown,  spending  the 


424  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

"rainy  season"  in  a  cabin  of  pine  logs,  in  company  with  Clark 
and  Williams,  companions  all,  since  leaving  Wisconsin.  Of  these 
two  messmates  and  companions  I  would  speak  in  highest  praise. 
They  were  cheerful,  sociable,  and  pleasant,  helpful  in  health  or 
in  sickness,  and  my  recollections  of  them  after  these  many  years 
call  up  only  pleasant  memories.  Our  copartnership  continued 
throughout  our  stay.  Clark  returned  to  Wisconsin  in  March  or 
April  of  1851,  and  Williams  and  myself  returned  in  July  of  the 
same  year. 

Our  comfortable  log  cabin  was  in  a  broad  stretch  of  upland 
between  two  tributaries  of  the  American  River  (itself  tributary 
to  the  Sacramento  River),  the  surface  undulating  and  pine-cov 
ered.  Some  gold  we  found  along  the  little  streams,  but  not  in 
paying  quantity.  Early  in  February  we  left  our  winter  quar 
ters  and  located  on  a  nearby  river  where  mining  was  being  done 
with  better  results.  For  several  weeks  we  succeeded  fairly  well 
and  in  April  or  the  first  of  May  we  had  in  the  company  purse, 
in  gold  dust,  a  little  sum  laid  by.  About  that  time  John  Clark, 
one  of  the  trio,  decided  that  he  had  had  enough  of  California, 
and  that  his  duty  to  his  family,  a  wife  and  several  children,  re 
quired  that  he  should  go  home.  To  meet  the  expense  of  a  trip 
home  by  steamer  and  the  Panama  route  would  take  all  we  had 
in  common.  Williams  and  I  turned  over  what  we  had,  and  he 
left  us,  glad  to  regard  the  trip  as  two  or  three  years  of  his  life 
wasted.  Williams  and  I  remained  and  continued  our  desultory 
mining  during  the  month  of  May. 

The  river  on  which  our  work  was  at  that  time  was  the  Middle 
Fork  of  the  American  River.  The  Middle  Fork  now  forms  the 
boundary  line  between  Eldorado  and  Placer  counties.  Only 
placer  mining  occupied  the  attention  of  the  mass  of  miners  at 
that  time.  The  reduction  of  ores  from  the  native  rock  was  con 
fined  to  limited  areas  and  conducted  by  companies  of  large  cap 
ital.  The  river  on  which  we  operated  was  at  that  point  emerg 
ing  from  the  mountains,  whose  rocky  and  precipitous  sides  con 
fined  its  rapid  and  rushing  waters  in  a  tortuous  and  narrow 
valley.  Bold  and  craggy  rocks  in  many  places  rose  from  the 
water's  edge,  thus  cutting  off  communication  between  mining- 
camps  above  and  below,  save  by  frequent  river  crossings.  In 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  425 

some  places  these  crossings  were  made  by  spanning  narrow  places 
with  rude  foot  bridges,  often  no  more  than  two  unhewn  pine 
logs  placed  side  by  side.  Upon  these  on  one  side  a  rude  hand 
rail  was  sometimes  constructed  for  the  benefit  of  passers-over 
who  might  have  giddy  heads  or  unsteady  nerves,  as  a  fall  into 
the  roaring,  turbulent  waters  below  could  hardly  fail  to  be  at 
tended  with  disastrous  results.  Generally  stiller  waters  were 
chosen  and  the  crossings  made  in  canoes  or  dugouts. 

These  rivers  on  their  way  from  mountain  range  to  the  broad 
Sacramento  valley,  in  passing  through  the  foothills  and  pine-cov 
ered  highlands,  have  cut  for  themselves  through  rocks  and  earth 
channels  of  immense  depth,  2,000  to  2,500  feet,  and  of  width 
at  top  from  brow  to  brow  of  two  miles  or  more.  The  sides  of 
these  are  gashed  with  ravines  and  rocky  canons  through  which 
mountain  torrents  dash  against  the  rocks  or  leap  in  threads  of 
silver  from  precipice  above  to  eddying  pools  below.  In  this  vi 
cinity  no  wagon  road  had  been  constructed  from  the  uplands 
above  to  the  mining  camps  along  the  river.  All  supplies  were 
brought  to  these  on  pack  animals.  The  sure-footed  and  plod 
ding  mule  was  the  main  reliance  of  the  trader  for  transportation. 
The  trails  ascend  the  steep  and  rocky  side  of  the  mountain  in  a 
zigzag  way,  often  rounding  a  projecting  cliff  1,500  or  2,000  feet 
above  the  river  which,  like  a  crawling  serpent,  winds  its  way 
from  side  to  side  across  the  narrow  valley.  At  such  points  a 
footing  missed,  mule  and  lading  would  be  dashed  to  rocks  below, 
a  shapeless  mass. 

On  one  occasion  I  was  making  the  ascent  from  the  valley  and, 
reaching  one  of  these  outlooks,  seated  myself  upon  a  rock  and 
was  looking  down  upon  the  river  and  camps  below.  I  saw  far 
below  a  wild  fowl  which  had  risen  from  the  river  and  was  trying 
to  attain  an  altitude  from  which  it  could  make  its  way  over  the 
uplands  adjoining.  The  height  to  be  overcome  was  too  great 
for  direct  flight.  Its  track  through  the  air  was  similar  to  the 
zigzag  path  by  which  I  had  ascended.  As  it  came  nearer,  I  saw 
it  was  a  wild  goose  which  had  visited  the  river,  I  suppose,  in 
search  of  food  or  water.  I  watched  it  with  interest  as  it  wheeled 
back  and  forth,  gaining  elevation  on  each  tack,  until  when  far 
above  me  it  struck  away  over  the  country  at  right  angles  with 
the  course  of  the  river. 


426  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

To  the  observing  mind  this  is  an  interesting  inquiry :  What  time 
has  been  required  and  what  forces  employed  to  furrow  out  from 
the  bowels  of  the  mountain  range  and  lower  lying  foothills  these 
immense  gorges,  through  which  the  mountains  discharge  their 
surplus  waters  to  the  ocean?  It  may  be  said  that  Nature  takes 
no  account  of  time  in  her  operations.  A  thousand  years  are  as 
a  day.  As  to  the  agency  employed,  perhaps  (probably,  indeed) 
it  was  water  and  ice.  But  speculation  aside,  some  force  has 
plowed  into  the  rocky  entrails  of  the  mountain,  has  broken 
through  veins  and  ledges  of  gold-bearing  rock.  The  rock  has 
been  crushed  into  dust  and  carried  down  by  the  waters  and  now 
forms,  perhaps,  the  alluvial  bottoms  in  the  valleys  of  Sacramento 
and  San  Joaquin  rivers.  The  gold,  being  malleable,  has  better 
withstood  the  abrasion,  and  by  its  greater  weight  has  resisted 
transportation,  has  halted  by  the  way,  has  found  lodgement  in 
crevices,  or  been  held  in  place  by  beds  of  tenacious  clay  where 
it  has  remained  for  ages  unnumbered.  From  these  lodgements 
the  pick  and  shovel  of  the  miner  is  releasing  it  and  the  "rocker" 
and  "Long  Tom"  are  busy  separating  it  from  the  grasp  of  the 
clay.  Truly,  "The  mills  of  the  gods  grind  slowly,  but  they  grind 
exceeding  small." 

In  this  great  workshop  of  Nature,  the  veins  of  gold-bearing 
rock  have  been  cut  across,  but  not  exhausted.  Many  of  them 
along  the  mountain  side  beyond  the  limit  of  abrasion  have  been 
discovered,  opened  up,  and  through  the  agency  of  stamp  mill 
and  smelter,  are  pouring  wealth  into  the  channels  of  commerce 
and  trade. 

Returning  now  to  the  narrative  of  the  mining  operations  of 
Williams  and  myself,  late  in  May  or  the  first  of  June,  we  em 
braced  an  opportunity  to  become  connected  with  a  company 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  draining  a  section  of  the  river  bed 
by  passing  the  water  over  the  portion  to  be  drained  in  a  flume 
of  pine  boards.  No  sawmill  was  then  in  that  part  of  the  mines. 
Pine  timber  of  suitable  size  was  near  and  these  were  to  be  sawed 
by  the  "whipsaw"  method,  all  by  hand.  One  man  stood  on  the 
log,  another  man  in  a  pit  under  the  log.  By  alternate  strokes 
of  up  and  down,  the  saw,  kept  to  a  line,  would  after  many  strokes 
go  through  the  log  and  one  plank  was  the  result. 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  427 

This  was  hard  work  and  slow.  Before  the  flume  was  com 
pleted,  Williams  and  I  had  a  chance  to  sell  our  interest  and 
make  good  profit.  The  sale  was  made  and  receiving  our  money 
we  at  once  set  out  for  Sacramento  City  on  our  homeward  way. 
Learning  that  the  Panama  steamer  would  not  leave  San  Fran 
cisco  for  several  days,  we  thought  best  to  spend  part  of  the 
intervening  time  in  Sacramento  City.  We  spent  July  4,  1851,  in 
that  place.  The  great  fire  which  consumed  a  large  part  of  that 
busy  city  occurred  a  few  months  later  and  after  our  departure. 

A  steamer  down  the  Sacramento  River  landed  us  in  a  few 
hours  at  the  Golden  Gate  City,  then  in  size  and  population  a 
mere  hamlet  compared  with  its  present  dimensions.  The  city 
was  then  in  the  throes  of  civil  convulsion.  The  lawless  element 
had  become  bold  and  daring  in  their  deeds  of  murder  and  rob 
bery,  and  the  law-abiding  citizens  had  felt  compelled  to  band 
together  for  mutual  protection  and  had  organized  the  famous 
Vigilance  Committee  for  the  execution  of  the  penal  laws.  At 
the  time  of  our  arrival  that  committee  was  in  full  power  and 
almost  daily  public  executions  were  taking  place.  Williams  and 
I  were  sauntering  along  a  street  near  the  bay  when  we  found 
ourselves  in  the  midst  of  a  hurrying  crowd  which  was  making 
its  way  to  the  nearby  wharf.  Curious  to  know  what  it  all  meant, 
we  followed  ^long.  When  at  the  wharf  a  halt  was  called,  we 
quickly  learned  their  purpose.  A  condemned  culprit  was  led  to 
a  lighter  boat  moored  to  the  wharf,  and  a  rope  tied  about  his 
neck.  Strong  hands  quickly  seized  the  other  end  of  the  rope 
which  had  been  passed  over  a  pulley  in  the  rigging,  and  a  mo 
ment  later  he  was  dangling  in  the  air,  while  at  least  a  thousand 
onlookers  gazed  in  silence,  until  he  was  pronounced  dead  and 
let  down.  It  was  a  sight  which  I  had  not  sought,  and  from  the 
thought  of  which  I  have  ever  after  turned  in  horror.  His  spe 
cific  offense  I  did  not  learn,  save  that  it  was  robbery.  There 
was  a  rapid  exit  from  that  city  of  the  criminal  classes  who  had 
been  holding  high  carnival.  Order  was  soon  restored  and  the 
acts  of  the  Vigilance  Committee  became  matter  of  frontier 
history. 

We  found  there  in  waiting  for  the  steamer  which  we  had  hoped 
to  take,  a  very  great  number  of  expectant  passengers.  It  soon 


428  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

became  evident  that  the  ship  would  be  overcrowded.  It  was  a 
large  side-wheeler  belonging  to  the  regular  line  plying  between 
San  Francisco  and  Panama  on  the  Pacific  side  and  Chagres  and 
New  York  on  the  Atlantic.  An  iron  steamer  of  English  bottom 
(officered  by  Americans)  would  start  a  day  or  two  later.  She 
was  a  screw  propeller,  not  so  fast  as  the  regular  line  ships,  but 
well  fitted  up,  offered  cheaper  rates,  and  would  not  be  over 
crowded.  She  was  the  Sarah  Sands,  and  in  later  years  had  a 
history.  On  this  ship  we  engaged  passage.  I  may  add  that 
the  passengers  were  well  satisfied  with  all  her  appointments  save 
that  her  speed  was  below  our  expectations. 

Passing  into  the  Pacific  from  the  bay,  we  found  at  first  the 
sea  air  to  be  uncomfortably  cool.  Warm  blankets  in  our  state 
room  berths  were  in  demand.  A  few  hundred  miles  out  this 
all  changed.  The  southing  made  was  daily  bringing  the  sun 
more  nearly  vertical  at  midday  and  the  weather  became  most 
uncomfortably  warm. 

Little  occurred  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  a  sea  voyage  on  the 
generally  smooth  waters  of  the  Pacific.  Frequent  views  of 
whales  were  had,  some  near,  others  far  off,  sometimes  singly,  at 
other  times  in  numbers,  disporting  themselves  in  the  water.  On 
one  occasion  a  dozen  or  fifteen  were  to  be  seen  in  a  group  amus 
ing  themselves  as  it  would  seem  by  rushing  upward  from  a  depth 
with  force  which  would  send  them  into  the  air  near  their  entire 
length.  When  they  fell  back  into  the  sea  the  agitated  water  could 
be  seen  lifted  upward  and  flying  from  their  huge  bodies  in  all 
directions.  We  had  a  nearby  view  from  the  starboard  quarter 
deck  of  one  of  these  monsters  which  was  exciting.  He  rose  to 
the  surface  for  air  not  more  than  a  cable's  length  from  the  ship 
and  blew  a  column  of  water  from  the  single  breathing  place  on 
the  top  of  his  head,  which  descended  in  spray  almost  within  our 
reach.  His  broad  black  back  parted  the  water  and  came  into 
view  in  size  like  half  the  deck  of  our  ship.  He  appeared  to  be 
unconscious  of  the  ship's  near  vicinity  at  first,  but  soon  in  ap 
parent  alarm  dived  to  depths  below,  his  broad  flukes  lashing  the 
water  into  foam.  It  was  an  impressive  sight. 

Other  creatures  of  the  sea  were  observed  in  numbers.  Por 
poises  at  times  swimming  along  with  an  undulating  motion 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  429 

seemed  purposely  to  keep  even  pace  with  the  ship.  These  are 
animals,,  not  fish,  and  belong  to  the  same  family  as  the  whale. 
Like  the  whales,  they  must  come  often  to  the  surface  to  breathe. 
Like  the  whales,  also,  the  dams  suckle  their  young.  Numbers 
of  their  young  of  all  sizes  were  to  be  seen  accompanying  the 
dams.  They  appeared  to  be  from  three  and  a  half  to  five  feet 
in  length. 

After  our  ship  had  reached  the  warmer  waters  of  the  tropics 
another  object  of  interest  came  into  notice.  We  passed  through 
shoals  of  flying  fish,  interesting  little  creatures,  varying  in 
length,  I  would  judge,  from  eight  inches  to  a  foot.  They  rise 
from  the  water  in  great  numbers  and  often  simultaneously,  and 
as  the  surface  of  the  water  is  disturbed  by  their  coming  out  of 
it,  a  sound  is  produced  resembling  large  hail  stones  falling  into 
water.  Their  flights  are  short  and  often  quickly  repeated,  each 
successive  flight  shorter  and  weaker  than  the  last.  It  may  be 
that  they  are  trying  to  escape  from  the  pursuit  of  some  enemy 
below  the  surface.  If  so,  they  sometimes  avoid  one  enemy  by 
falling  a  prey  to  another.  Sea  birds  often  take  advantage  of 
these  flights  and  pounce  upon  them  while  they  are  in  the  air  and 
carry  them  off  in  numbers.  Their  rise  from  the  water  is  gener 
ally  not  more  than  a  few  feet,  although  our  seamen  told  us  they 
often  go  high  enough  to  fall  on  ship  deck.  They  do  not  appear 
to  move  their  outstretched  fins,  but  seem  to  sail  through  the  air 
only  while  the  momentum  gained  in  the  water  lasts. 

Our  ship  on  its  downward  passage  encountered  no  storm. 
Only  one  squall  called  for  a  hasty  furling  of  the  sails.  That 
was  too  quickly  over  to  form  heavy  rollers.  While  it  lasted  the 
roaring  of  the  wind  through  the  rigging  was  terrific.  The  sur 
face  of  the  surrounding  water  was  lashed  into  a  foam.  I  stayed 
upon  the  deck,  not  caring  to  go  below.  The  heavy  iron  hull  of 
the  ship  careened,  seemingly  until  the  spars  nearly  touched  the 
sea.  It  was  soon  over  and  all  again  serene. 

We  passed  the  coast  of  Lower  California  too  far  to  seaward 
for  it  to  be  seen,  so  far  as  I  know.  A  daily  report  of  latitude 
and  longitude  was  posted  in  a  conspicuous  place  on  the  deck 
where  all  who  chose  might  consult  it.  This  could  be  of  little 
service  fo  us  who  were  not  possessed  of  maps  and  charts.  My 


430  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

first  knowledge  of  our  real  position  was  when  I  saw  the  ship 
heading  toward  an  opening  in  the  shore  line  of  low  mountains 
and  learned  that  we  were  putting  into  Acapulco  Bay.  This  bay 
is  landlocked  and  constitutes  a  safe  and  commodious  harbor, 
well  protected  on  the  seaboard  side  by  a  low  mountain  range.  A 
gap  in  this  range  of  ample  width  and  great  depth  of  water  af 
fords  ingress  and  egress  for  ships  of  largest  size.  It  has  a  ca 
pacity  sufficient  to  float  the  largest  navy. 

The  city  of  Acapulco  is  at  the  upper  end  of  the  bay,  twenty 
or  twenty-five  miles  from  the  opening.  It  is  a  city  of  no  great 
size  or  commercial  importance.  It  affords  to  the  steamship  and 
transportation  companies  a  good  harbor  and  convenient  .point 
for  ships  to  take  in  supplies.  Our  ship  spent  about  two  full 
days  there.  There  was  no  wharf,  but  good  anchorage  quite  near 
the  shore.  Passengers  all  went  ashore.  Natives  in  row  boats 
swarmed  around  the  ship,  glad  to  receive  a  trifle  from  the  sea- 
weary  people  on  board  to  put  them  on  land.  Only  seventeen 
degrees  north  of  the  equator,  tropical  fruits  could  be  had  in 
abundance — oranges,  pineapples,  bananas,  mangoes — ripe,  lus 
cious,  and  very  cheap.  The  business  houses  and  residences  of 
the  better  classes  were  all  of  stone,  one  story  high  and  had  floors 
of  flagstone  or  earth.  Houses  of  the  peons  and  poorer  classes 
were  mere  huts  of  bamboo  poles,  covered  with  reeds  or  grass. 

Most  of  the  passengers  soon  tired  of  wandering  about  in  so 
uninteresting  a  city  and  returned  on  shipboard  where  they  found 
amusement  in  watching  the  aquatic  feats  of  native  boys  about 
ten  or  twelve  years  old.  A  dozen  or  more  of  them  came  near 
the  ship  in  an  open  dugout,  their  brown  and  plump  bodies  naked 
and  shining,  they  plunged  into  the  waters  of  the  bay,  as  much 
at  home  in  that  element  as  in  their  own.  Swimming  about  like 
eels,  they  clamored  in  Spanish  and  beckoned  for  coin  to  be 
thrown  overboard  by  the  passengers  who  were  above  and  watch 
ing  them.  Many  small  silver  pieces  were  tossed  over  the  ship's 
side  and  dropped  into  the  clear  water.  A  coin  could  be  seen 
going  downward  in  the  water,  zigzag,  like  a  bit  of  white  paper 
falling  in  still  air.  The  nearest  boy  would  strike  out  for  it,  and 
in  a  few  strokes  would  be  over  the  spot.  Down  goes  his  head 
and  upward  his  heels.  The  water  was  so  lucid  that  the  race  of 


OVERLAND  JOURNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  431 

the  boy  after  the  sinking  coin  could  be  plainly  seen  from  ship 
deck.  When  he  came  within  reach  of  the  coin,  his  hands  quickly 
came  together  under  it  in  bowl  shape.  Lodging  in  his  hands  it 
was  transferred  to  his  mouth  with  a  quick  motion.  By  a  dex 
terous  movement  of  arms  and  legs,  his  inverted  posture  was 
quickly  reversed  and  his  head  and  shoulders  popped  above  the 
water  like  a  cork  released.  He  was  ready  to  chase  another  coin. 

After  a  time  the  coins  available  for  continuing  the  sport  were 
no  longer  forthcoming.  The  boys  were  still  in  the  water  and 
expectant.  Someone  on  deck  called  out  in  Spanish,  "A  shark ! 
A  shark!"  A  rush  followed  for  the  dugout,  which  had  been 
tossing  idly.  In  quick  time  they  were  safe  inside.  Had  they 
been  boys  of  our  land,  I  have  no  doubt  the  first  who  reached  the 
rocking  dugout  would  have  upset  it.  Not  so  they. 

At  leaving  time  a  shot  from  the  ship's  gun  announced  to 
passengers  on  shore  that  the  anchor  was  about  to  be  raised.  Soon 
all  were  aboard  and  the  ship  moved  off.  A  mile  or  two  out  it 
was  discovered  that  a  skiff  was  following  behind,  rowed  by  two 
men  while  a  third  was  standing  and  vigorously  swinging  his  hat 
and  sometimes  his  coat.  Apparently  a  belated  passenger  was 
eager  to  attract  notice  and  be  allowed  to  overtake  the  ship.  The 
captain  looked  annoyed  and  seemed  inclined  to  give  him  a  long, 
stern  chase.  The  ship  was  half  way  to  open  sea  when  a  round 
to  was  ordered,  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  boat.  A  hearty  laugh 
broke  out  when  it  was  found  that  the  boat  contained  no  belated 
passenger,  but  a  quarter  of  beef  which  had  been  bespoken  for 
delivery  on  shipboard  but  reached  the  anchorage  a  few  minutes 
late.  The  merriment  was  in  no  way  diminished  when  in  hauling 
the  beef  on  board  it  slipped  from  the  rope  and  splashed  into  the 
sea  and  the  sharks  seized  and  made  off  with  it.  The  satisfied 
agent  and  his  men  returned.  His  orders  had  been  strictly 
obeyed. 

Another  start  was  made.  Soon  the  rolling  swells,  pulsations 
of  Old  Ocean,  told  of  our  near  approach  to  open  sea.  The  gate 
way  was  soon  passed  and  our  prow  turned  to  the  southeast.  No 
more  stops  to  be  made  before  reaching  Panama.  Our  course  from 
this  on  was  nearer  to  coasts  of  Mexico  and  Guatemala.  The 
deep  green  of  the  foliage  on  the  foothills  and  along  the  moun- 


432  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

tain  side  was  plainly  visible  and  relieved  the  monotony  of  a 
horizon  always  shutting  down  upon  the  sea.  The  nights  were 
intensely  hot.  It  was  impossible  to  sleep  in  a  stateroom.  Mat 
tresses  and  blankets  were  brought  out  and  spread  upon  the  deck. 
The  captain  warned  us  not  to  sleep  in  the  full  rays  of  the  moon. 
It  was  suggestive  of  distorted  and  rigid  muscles  of  the  face  and 
neck.  Query:  Is  that  a  superstition  of  the  seafaring  man  or 
a  recognized  fact?  Our  captain  was  an  intelligent  and  an  ex 
perienced  man.  We  pass  the  question — no  place  to  discuss  it 
here.  Suffice  it  that  we  heeded  the  advice  and  suffered  no  ill. 

Amusements  and  quarter  deck  promenades  quickly  ended 
when,  after  more  than  three  weeks  from  San  Francisco,  we  found 
our  ship  heading  into  the  Bay  of  Panama.  This  harbor  for 
safety  and  convenience  cannot  be  compared  with  that  of  Aca- 
pulco.  It  is  little  better  than  an  open  roadstead  which  was 
reached  by  row  boats  and  lighters.  At  the  landing  place  the 
beach  was  sandy  and  very  shelving.  When  the  sea  was  calm 
and  no  swells  coming  in,  the  keel  of  the  boats  would  touch  bot 
tom  and  come  to  a  halt  many  rods  from  dry  land.  The  native 
boatmen  would  then  carry  the  passengers  and  their  light  bag 
gage  through  the  shallow  water  to  good  footing.  At  other  times 
when  ocean  swells  were  dashing  far  upon  the  beach  after  the 
boat's  bottom  had  struck  sand,  the  boatmen  would  be  quickly  in 
the  water  and  with  hands  upon  the  edge  of  the  boat  would  await 
the  next  swell,  then  with  the  lifting  of  the  boat,  carry  it  far  for 
ward.  The  receding  wave  would  leave  the  boat  out  of  water  on 
the  sand.  A  hasty  scramble  would  then  take  place  among  the 
passengers  to  leave  the  boat  and  be  clear  of  reach  of  the  next 
swell,  or  wet  pants  and  skirts  would  result. 

Panama  is  a  quaint  old  Spanish- American  city  of  15,000  to 
18,000  people  of  mixed  races.  The  original  city  was  enclosed 
by  a  wall  of  masonry,  now  broken  in  many  places,  the  cracks 
and  crevices  choked  with  rank  growth  of  tropical  vines  and 
plants,  quite  veiling  it  from  sight  in  some  places.  Streets  are 
narrow  and  far  from  clean.  There  are  no  sewers,  no  garbage 
wagons.  Turkey  buzzards  are  the  only  scavengers.  They  are 
in  numbers  countless  and  they  do  their  work  well.  The  offal 
from  a  slaughtered  animal  cast  into  an  open  court,  is  by  them 


OVERLAND  JOtfllNEY   TO   CALIFORNIA  433 

quickly  disposed  of.  They  appear  quite  fearless  of  man.  In 
those  cities  of  torrid  heat,  they  are  his  best  friends.14 

Of  public  buildings  I  saw  none  of  importance  save  the  cathe 
dral.  It  is  a  building  of  quite  large  proportions  and  has  some 
pretensions  to  architectural  beauty.  We  visited  it.  Black-robed 
priests  were  moving  about  in  performance  of  their  various  duties. 
Natives  in  deferential  manner  were  passing  in  and  out,  kneeling 
before  crucifixes,  and  at  the  entrance  crossing  themselves  with 
holy  water.  At  that  time  the  presence  of  English-speaking  peo 
ple  was  not  noticeable,  nor  has  it  been  since.  The  city  was  on 
the  great  highway  of  traffic  and  travel  betwen  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific.  We  spent  several  days  there,  as  our  arrival  had  been 
too  late  for  the  fortnightly  departure  of  the  steamer  from  Cha- 
gres  on  the  Atlantic  side  for  New  York.  Our  stay  was  not  be 
cause  of  any  attraction  offered  by  scenery  or  climate,  but  for  the 
reason  that  as  between  that  city  and  Chagres,  the  latter  was 
least  to  be  desired.  This  is  a  very  old  town,  but  not  the  Panama 
of  1532  where  the  cruel  and  relentless  Pizzaro  fitted  out  the  ex 
pedition  which  wiped  out  the  empire  of  the  Incas  in  Peru.  That 
city  was  on  the  bay,  several  miles  northeast  and  is  now  in  ruins. 

Leaving  Panama  by  the  old  and  well  established  route,  our 
course  would  be  northwest  twenty  miles  to  Gorgona  on  the  Cha- 
gres  River,  thence  down  the  river  fifty  miles  to  Chagres  on  the 
Atlantic  side.  The  twenty  miles  to  Gorgona  must  be  made  by 
mules  and  pack  animals  or  on  foot.  The  summit  of  divide  be 
tween  the  oceans  is  not  high  (250  feet)  nor  very  much  broken. 
It  would  not  be  difficult  to  construct  a  good  road  for  wagons  or 
pack  animals.  We  found  no  wheeled  vehicle  could  thread  the  nar 
row  trails  along  which  the  pack  trains  went.  In  many  places 
along  the  sides  there  was  a  thick  growth  of  tropical  vines  and 
bamboo  saplings  overshadowed  by  large  forest  trees.  No  one 
could  penetrate  the  thicket  without  the  use  of  ax  or  hatchet.  In 
other  places  the  trail  had  been  worn  down  by  saddle  animals  and 
pack  mules  into  the  clayey  knolls  and  side  hills,  making  deep 
and  narrow  channels  which  gave  barely  room  on  the  sides  for  the 
overhanging  packs.  During  the  rainy  season  these  trails  would 


i4These  notes  written  in  1900  were  descriptive  of  conditions  as  the  writer 
saw  them  in  1851.  Modern  science  and  engineering,  coming  with  the  Panama 
Canal,  have  changed  conditions  there.— Editor. 


434,  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

become  water  courses,  in  many  places  almost  impassable.  The 
rains  come  in  July  and  August,  and  our  trip  was  made  in  August 
when  the  whole  country  seemed  a  quagmire. 

A  large  and  full  grown  mountain  lion  (cougar)  and  a  young 
half  grown  grizzly  bear  had  been  captured  in  California  and 
were  being  transported  to  New  York  in  charge  of  an  agent  of 
a  New  York  firm.  The  cougar  was  one  of  the  largest  of  his 
species  and  very  fierce.  He  was  confined  in  a  strong  cage 
guarded  on  one  side  by  iron  bars.  To  the  sides  of  the  cage 
were  lashed  poles,  one  on  each  side,  projecting  fore  and  aft. 
The  whole  was  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  natives  in  relays  of 
eight  carriers.  When  the  narrow  places  described  above  were 
reached,  they  were  passed  with  great  difficulty.  The  other  ani 
mal  being  smaller  gave  less  trouble. 

We  met  passengers  on  their  way  to  California  who  would  take 
steamer  at  Panama  for  San  Francisco.  Among  them  were  fam 
ilies  and  several  children.  These  were  mounted  on  the  shoulders 
of  sturdy  blacks.  One  riding  in  that  posture  was  a  well-dressed 
girl  not  less  than  ten  years  old.  Another  younger  girl  and  a 
boy  of  six,  each  perched  upon  the  shoulders  of  a  native,  formed 
a  group  alone.  Not  far  behind  was  another  party  of  adults 
mounted  on  mules.  Some  of  these  were  women  and  might  have 
had  among  them  the  mother  of  the  children.  If  so,  she  was  too 
far  separated  from  her  children  to  be  of  service  to  them  if  her 
aid  had  been  rquired.  Doubtless  all  went  well,  but  not  all  moth 
ers  would  pass  through  such  an  experience  with  unconcern. 

One  whole  day  was  spent  by  us  in  passing  over  this  twenty 
miles.  Rain  fell  nearly  every  hour  of  the  day — a  dash  of  rain, 
then  sunshine,  often  both  together.  We  reached  Gorgona  weary 
and  footsore.  The  distance  had  been  made  on  foot,  our  baggage 
conveyed  by  native  porters.  The  frequent  showers  had  kept  us 
constantly  wet  until  toward  evening  when  the  rain  ceased.  Ar 
riving,  our  first  inquiry  was  for  food  and  lodging.  Gorgona  is 
a  native  village  and  contains  only  huts  of  the  poorest  structure. 
Arrangements  had  been  made  by  the  transportation  companies 
for  the  comfort  of  passengers,  as  many  families  were  at  that  time 
going  to  California  to  meet  husbands  or  fathers,  and  to  all  this 
was  a  stopping  place,  Supper  found  and  dispatched,  we  saun- 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY  TO   CALIFORNIA  435 

tered  around  for  an  hour  or  two,  stopping  two  or  three  times 
to  look  on  while  the  native  men  and  women  danced  the  fandango 
to  rude  music. 

The  people  whom  we  meet  here  are  of  mixed  Negro  and  Indian 
blood.  The  African  appears  to  predominate.  From  their  In 
dian  ancestors  they  have  inherited  none  of  the  sly  treachery  of 
the  North  American  Indian,  nor  his  lazy,  shiftless  habits.  Clean 
ly  they  can  hardly  be  called,  but  are  trusty  and  faithful  servants. 
When  sleeping  time  arrived  we  were  shown  into  a  space  enclosed 
by  walls  of  slender  bamboo  rods,  interwoven  with  small  twigs, 
the  whole  covered  over  with  a  roof  made  chiefly  of  large  leaves 
of  tropical  growth.  The  space  enclosed  was  not  subdivided  but 
contained  a  large  number  of  movable  cots,  simply  frames  over 
stretched  with  canvas.  Apartments  suitable  for  lady  passengers 
could  be  had  when  occasion  required.  The  construction  of  the 
Panama  railway  is  now  in  progress.  On  its  completion  all  these 
rude  arrangements  will  no  longer  be  patronized  nor  needed. 

The  transportation  from  Gorgona  is  by  boats  on  the  Chagres 
River.  These  are  propelled  on  the  downward  passage  by  oars 
worked  by  natives.  On  the  trip  upstream,  the  boats  are  poled. 
The  river  is  generally  shallow.  In  places  too  deep  for  their 
poles,  the  boat  must  be  kept  near  shore.  The  country  along 
the  river  is  of  course  flat.  It  is  so  overgrown  with  forest 
trees  and  a  jungle  of  underbrush  that  we  could  see  but  little  else. 
Monkeys  and  parrots  we  could  see  in  great  numbers,  also  many 
birds  of  bright  plumage.  No  song  bird  did  we  hear.  A  lazy 
alligator  would  occasionally  crawl  into  the  water  on  our  approach. 
The  quick  current  of  the  stream  seconded  the  strokes  of  the  oar, 
and  our  trip  was  made  by  daylight  of  one  day. 

The  city  of  Chagres  is  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  the  Isthmus  at 
the  mouth  of  the  River  Chagres.  No  harbor  is  there,  only  an 
open  roadstead  without  safe  anchorage  for  ships.  Steamships 
when  receiving  and  discharging  cargo  keep  up  steam,  ready  to 
depart  in  case  a  storm  arises.  They  do  not  approach  nearer 
than  three  or  four  miles  of  land.  When  the  Panama  railroad  is 
completed,  Chagres,  as  a  seaport  town,  will  be  abandoned.  As- 
pinwall,  now  springing  up,  will  be  the  Atlantic  terminus  of  that 
railroad.  That  city  is  about  eight  miles  from  Chagres,  north 
and  a  little  east. 


436  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

We  arrived  in  Chagres  a  day  or  two  in  advance  of  the  de 
parture  of  the  New  York  steamer.  Our  stay  was  long  enough 
The  city  is  low  and  unhealthy.  We  saw  little  of  it  save  the 
American  quarters.  Accommodations  were  not  so  good  as  in 
Panama,  but  far  better  than  those  of  Gorgona.  Hotels  (so-called 
by  courtesy)  are  most  cheaply  built  of  rough  lumber,  subdivided 
into  rooms  by  studding  on  which  was  tacked  ordinary  white  mus 
lin  or  cotton  sheeting. 

Booming  of  the  gun  on  board  the  steamer  gave  notice  to  pas 
sengers  that  her  sailing  time  was  near.  Yawl  boats  were  in 
readiness  to  convey  us  and  our  'luggage  to  the  ship.  Arriving 
there,  a  "cradle"  suspended  by  a  strong  rope  from  a  yardarm 
lifted  us  two  or  three  at  a  time  to  ship  deck  over  gunwale.  The 
rocking  of  the  ship  from  side  to  side  caused  by  the  waves  was 
considerable.  Advantage  must  be  taken  when  the  lurch  was 
toward  the  boat  and  as  the  cradle  or  swing  came  within  reach, 
a  quick  movement  if  well  executed  would  place  the  passengers 
inside  the  swing,  and  a  "Haul  away"  command  sent  the  thing 
aloft,  and  lucky  the  wights  within  if  a  lurch  of  the  ship  the  other 
way  did  not  give  them  a  thumping  bounce  against  the  ship's  side. 
Many  a  laugh  and  jeer  from  those  on  ship  deck  who  had  passed 
through  the  ordeal  went  up  at  the  expense  of  an  unlucky  one 
who  received  a  bump  fit  to  see  stars.  When  a  lady  was  in  the 
swing,  the  case  did  not  excite  merriment.  Even  fatted  steers, 
shipped  for  the  steamer's  butcher,  are  swung  aboard,  not  in  a 
cradle,  but  in  a  harness  of  ropes. 

We  found  on  board  the  ship  the  same  cage  containing  a  captured 
cougar,  also  the  young  grizzly  noted  on  a  preceding  page.  The 
latter  was  allowed  during  the  day  to  roam  at  will  on  the  deck 
of  the  forecastle  and  he  afforded  some  amusement  for  such  of  the 
passengers  as  chose  to  romp  with  him.  Generally  they  did  not 
incline  to  continue  the  sport  long,  as  his  play  was  a  little  rough. 
We  found  conditions  on  board  this  steamer  to  be  quite  unlike 
those  on  the  ship  which  had  brought  us  to  Panama  on  the  Pa 
cific  side.  Its  passenger  list  was  at  least  three  times  greater, 
not  less  than  900.  Being  a  side-wheel  steamer  and  driven  by 
more  powerful  engines,  her  speed  was  greater.  She  did  not  sit 
the  water  as  steadily,  but  rocked  from  side  to  side,  causing  much 
seasickness  among  the  passengers. 


OVERLAND  JOURNEY  TO   CALIFORNIA  437 

Two  hours  of  steaming,  and  the  low  lying  coast  which  we  had 
left  sunk  out  of  sight.  It  was  known  that  the  steamer  would 
call  at  Kingston,  a  good  seaport  on  the  south  side  of  the  Island 
of  Jamaica.  The  atmosphere  of  the  Caribbean  Sea  is  more  hazy 
than  that  of  the  Pacific,  where  the  coast  mountains  could  be  seen 
in  blue  outline  90  or  100  miles  away,  almost  as  soon  as  their  tops 
would  rise  above  the  horizon.  Not  so  in  these  waters.  On  the 
southwest  coast  of  Jamaica,  where  we  would  first  approach  land, 
is  a  range  of  high  mountains  which  should  have  been  seen  more 
than  fifty  miles  at  sea.  We  were  barely  twenty  miles  from  them 
when,  like  a  dim,  shadowy  cloud,  their  outline  could  be  discerned 
through  the  hazy  atmosphere.  Only  a  few  minutes  later  the 
coast  line  could  be  plainly  seen.  This  and  the  highlands  we 
passed  rapidly,  leaving  them  to  our  left,  and  soon  after  were 
moored  to  wharf  in  Kingston  harbor. 

This  is  an  inlet  of  the  sea,  entered  through  a  narrow  channel. 
The  water  in  the  harbor  is  deep  and  anchorage  good.  It  is  not 
so  capacious  as  that  of  Acapulco  nor  like  that,  protected  on  the 
seaboard  side  by  a  coast  line  of  low  mountains,  but  is,  next  to 
that  harbor,  the  best  we  have  seen  since  leaving  San  Francisco 
Bay.  Here  we  find  constructed  wharves  from  which  ships  may 
receive  lading  and  steamers  be  supplied  with  coal.  Of  the  lat 
ter,  a  large  amount  would  be  required  for  the  steamer's  con 
sumption  on  her  homeward  trip.  No  provision  has  been  made 
for  hoisting  this  from  the  wharf  by  machinery.  All  must  be 
shovelled,  into  baskets  or  buckets  and  carried  up  the  gangplank 
and  dumped  into  a  scuttle  hole  leading  to  the  coal  bunkers  be 
low.  This  work  was  done  entirely  by  black  women.  Men  on 
the  wharf  shovelled  the  coal  into  buckets  and  helped  to  raise 
the  loads  to  the  heads  of  the  women,  who  then  in  squads  of  four 
and  five  marched  up  the  plank  to  the  ship's  deck,  all  keeping 
time  to  a  low  and  measured  chant  with  voice  and  step. 

I  was  told  that  the  weight  of  a  bucket  of  coal  (net  weight) 
was  ninety  pounds.  A  number  of  the  women  could  not  have 
much  exceeded  that  weight  in  their  own  avoirdupois.  Most 
of  these  blacks  had  been  born  and  many  reared  in  slavery.  Their 
emancipation  took  place  seventeen  years  before  the  time  here 
mentioned,  that  event  occurring  in  1834.  At  this  time,  1851,  the 


458  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

work  of  emancipation  as  an  industrial  experiment  seemed  to 
have  been  a  failure.  The  blacks  were  apparently  intoxicated 
witli  their  newly  acquired  freedom,  were  shiftless,  little  inclined 
to  industry,  and  steady  employment.  The  exports  from  the  is 
land  fell  off  in  a  remarkable  degree.  The  resident  planters  and 
others  who  had  employed  slave  labor  regarded  the  trade  of  the 
island  as  ruined. 

At  this  time,  fifty  years  later,  a  change  for  the  better  has 
occurred.  Like  the  emancipated  Negroes  of  the  Southern  States, 
a  steady  betterment  of  the  race  has  gone  on.  The  improvident 
and  shiftless  ex-slaves  are  passing  or  have  passed  away.  The 
younger  generation  may  have  acquired  some  new  vices  but  they 
have  learned  the  lesson  of  self-reliance,  and  their  children  have 
been  taught  in  the  schools.  The  industrial  condition  of  the  is 
land  as  shown  by  statistics  is  well  along  on  the  way  of  improve 
ment. 

Our  steamer  remained  in  the  harbor  of  Kingston  one  night  and 
two  days.  Williams  and  I  spent  most  of  the  time  during  the  day 
on  shore.  Many  very  pretty  residences  there  are,  all  low,  of  one 
story,  neatly  painted,  in  roomy  yards,  and  all  enveloped  in  a 
dense  growth  of  tropical  verdure.  The  latitude  of  the  island 
is  nearly  the  same  as  that  of  Acapulco  in  Mexico,  but  at  Kingston 
and  on  the  adjacent  plain  the  heat  is  more  intense,  the  annual 
mean  being  about  81  degrees  F.  The  mountains  which  are  at 
the  highest  about  7,000  feet,  afford  many  retreats  much  cooler 
and  more  healthy.  At  an  elevation  of  4,000  feet  it  is  said  the 
annual  mean  is  some  15  degrees  less  than  at  the  sea  level. 

The  whites  are  mostly  English  and  number  on  the  entire  is 
land  no  more  than  about  13,000,  most  of  them  in  the  cities,  and 
in  rural  residences  in  the  mountain  districts.  The  evidences  of 
taste  and  culture  were  observable  in  the  neat  and  well-kept  yards 
which  surround  their  homes,  and  their  well-groomed  horses  and 
stylish  rigs  with  which  they  appeared  on  the  few  drives  and 
boulevards  in  the  outskirts  of  Kingston.  The  contrast  between 
that  and  the  Spanish-American  towns  which  we  had  seen  in  Mex 
ico  and  on  the  Isthmus  was  very  noticeable. 

The  steamer's  supply  of  coal  having  been  secured,  there  was 
no  further  cause  for  delay  and  she  was  soon  steaming  through 


OVERLAND   JOURNEY  TO   CALIFORNIA  439 

the  narrow  entrance  and  out  into  the  open  sea.  Port  Royal  we 
left  to  the  east  in  passing  out.  This  occupies  a  low-lying  arm 
of  the  mainland  thrust  out  from  the  east  between  the  harbor  and 
the  open  sea.  A  little  longer  reach  of  the  arm  westward,  and 
the  harbor  would  have  been  an  inland  lake.  This  point  of  land 
has  been  occupied  by  the  British  government  as  a  military  post 
and  a  harbor  defense  maintained  there,  but  the  unhealthiness  of 
the  place  has  made  it  practically  untenable. 

The  course  of  our  steamer  for  fifty  or  sixty  miles  was  east, 
bearing  a  little  south,  until  the  southern  point  of  the  island  was 
passed,  then  northeast  between  Cuba  on  the  west  and  the  Island 
of  Haiti  on  the  east.  We  should  have  passed  within  sight  of 
one  or  both  of  these,  but  I  did  not  observe  either.  I  think  the 
Windward  Passage  which  separates  them  must  have  been  made 
in  the  night.  None  of  the  Bahama  Islands  were  at  any  time 
visible  so  far  as  we  knew,  nor  indeed  any  land  in  sight  until  the 
Jersey  shore  and  Staten  Island  came  into  view  when  we  were 
approaching  New  York  Bay.  The  firing  of  the  steamer's  gun 
announced  to  the  quarantine  officer  our  arrival  within  limit  of 
his  surveillance,  and  a  representative  was  soon  on  board.  The 
same  gun  brought  to  our  side  a  pilot  boat.  Under  its  guidance 
the  ship  steamed  up  the  bay,  after  the  departure  of  the  health 
officer,  and  was  very  soon  in  her  position  at  the  dock  in  East 
River. 

New  York  had  long  been  our  talked  of  goal,  and  in  that  city 
we  now  were.  A  short  stop  there  sufficed  to  make  such  change 
in  our  wardrobes  as  was  required.  Williams  and  I  there  sep 
arated  after  a  year  and  a  half  of  companionship — in  sickness 
and  in  health,  over  mountain  and  plain,  desert  and  ocean.  Our 
hopes  of  gain  had  not  been  realized.  Sickness  had  come  to  us 
both  while  in  our  log  cabin  during  the  winter.  In  his  case,  as 
also  in  my  own,  it  was  of  such  nature  as  to  threaten  serious  re 
sults.  Sympathy  and  care  were  not  wanting  and  medical  attend 
ance  was  provided.  His  wife  and  two  children  had  gone  from 
Wisconsin  to  her  father's  home  in  Vermont  to  spend  the  time 
of  his  absence.  To  that  state  he  went  to  join  them  when  he  left 
New  York  City. 


440  ANNALS  OF  IOWA 

My  destination  was  West  Bloomfield,  Ontario  County,  New 
York,  the  home  of  my  father,  an  older  brother,  Edgar,  and  a 
sister,  Jane,  younger  than  I.  From  that  home  I  had  gone  three 
years  before,  in  1848.  It  had  been  my  intention  to  make  a  visit 
at  my  father's  home  and  then  to  go  on  west  to  Wisconsin.  How 
ever,  I.  changed  my  plan  and  remained  in  Bloomfield  during  the 
winter  and  returned  to  Palmyra,  Wisconsin,  in  the  spring  of 
1852.  There  I  did  not  remain  long,  but  took  up  my  residence 
soon  after  in  Kalamazoo,  Michigan. 


The  Historical  Department  recently  received  a  copy  of  The 
Keosauqua  Times,  bearing  date  of  March  28,  1846.  This  number 
has  the  name  "Van  Caldwell"  endorsed  on  the  top  margin  with 
pen  and  ink.  Van  Caldwell  was  the  father  of  the  late  Judge 
H.  C.  Caldwell.  This  copy  of  the  Times  was  given  by  Judge 
Caldwell  to  Hon.  F.  M.  Epperson,  of  Eddyville,  and  since  his 
death  his  son,  Frank  Epperson,  in  turn  gave  it  to  the  Historical 
Department.  Advertisements  in  it  advise  the  reader  of  today 
of  conditions  then.  Among  them  are  the  following: 

"Trace  chains  for  sale  at  Bridgman's." 

"Window  glass,  8x10,  and  10x12.  Also  putty,  for  sale  at 
Bridgman's." 

"Plough  slabs  and  plough  wings,  assorted  sizes,  for  sale.  F. 
Bridgman." 

"10  bbls.  old  Cincinnati  whiskey,  1  half  pipe  superior  C  brandy, 
ginger,  cassia,  nutmegs,  starch,  pepper,  spice,  cloves,  and  soap, 
for  sale  at  Bridgman's." 

"Three  or  four  dozen  riding  bridles,  martingales,  &c,  for  sale 
at  Games 's  Sadlery." 


